@phdthesis{Xu2022,
  author    = {Xu, Wenshan},
  title     = {Regulation of the DNA Damage Response by the Ubiquitin System},
  doi       = {10.25972/OPUS-16006},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-160064},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2022},
  abstract  = {DNA damage occurs frequently during normal cellular progresses or by environmental factors. To preserve the genome integrity, DNA damage response (DDR) has evolved to repair DNA and the non-properly repaired DNA induces human diseases like immune deficiency and cancer. Since a large number of proteins involved in DDR are enzymes of ubiquitin system, it is critical to investigate how the ubiquitin system regulates cellular response to DNA damage. Hereby, we reveal a novel mechanism for DDR regulation via activation of SCF ubiquitin ligase upon DNA damage. As an essential step for DNA damage-induced inhibition of DNA replication, Cdc25A degradation by the E3 ligase β-TrCP upon DNA damage requires the deubiquitinase Usp28. Usp28 deubiquitinates β-TrCP in response to DNA damage, thereby promotes its dimerization, which is required for its activity in substrate ubiquitination and degradation. Particularly, ubiquitination at a specific lysine on β-TrCP suppresses dimerization. The key mediator protein of DDR, 53BP1, forms oligomers and associates with β-TrCP to inhibit its activity in unstressed cells. Upon DNA damage, 53BP1 is degraded in the nucleoplasm, which requires oligomerization and is promoted by Usp28 in a β-TrCP-dependent manner. Consequently, 53BP1 destruction releases and activates β-TrCP during DNA damage response. Moreover, 53BP1 deletion and DNA damage promote β-TrCP dimerization and recruitment to chromatin sites that locate in the vicinity of putative replication origins. Subsequently, the chromatin-associated Cdc25A is degraded by β-TrCP at the origins. The stimulation of β-TrCP binding to the origins upon DNA damage is accompanied by unloading of Cdc45, a crucial component of pre-initiation complexes for replication. Loading of Cdc45 to origins is a key Cdk2-dependent step for DNA replication initiation, indicating that localized Cdc25A degradation by β-TrCP at origins inactivates Cdk2, thereby inhibits the initiation of DNA replication. Collectively, this study suggests a novel mechanism for the regulation of DNA replication upon DNA damage, which involves 53BP1- and Usp28-dependent activation of the SCF(β-TrCP) ligase in Cdc25A degradation.},
  subject      = {DNS-Sch{\"a}digung},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{SchueleinVoelkWolfZhuetal.2014,
  author    = {Sch{\"u}lein-V{\"o}lk, Christina and Wolf, Elmar and Zhu, Jing and Xu, Wenshan and Taranets, Lyudmyla and Hellmann, Andreas and J{\"a}nicke, Laura A. and Diefenbacher, Markus E. and Behrens, Axel and Eilers, Martin and Popov, Nikita},
  title     = {Dual Regulation of Fbw7 Function and Oncogenic Transformation by Usp28},
  series = {CELL REPORTS},
  volume    = {9},
  journal   = {CELL REPORTS},
  number    = {3},
  issn      = {2211-1247},
  doi       = {10.1016/j.celrep.2014.09.057},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-118219},
  pages     = {1099-1109},
  year      = {2014},
  abstract  = {Fbw7, the substrate recognition subunit of SCF(Fbw7) ubiquitin ligase, mediates the turnover of multiple proto-oncoproteins and promotes its own degradation. Fbw7-dependent substrate ubiquitination is antagonized by the Usp28 deubiquitinase. Here, we show that Usp28 preferentially antagonizes autocatalytic ubiquitination and stabilizes Fbw7, resulting in dose-dependent effects in Usp28 knockout mice. Monoallelic deletion of Usp28 maintains stable Fbw7 but drives Fbw7 substrate degradation. In contrast, complete knockout triggers Fbw7 degradation and leads to the accumulation of Fbw7 substrates in several tissues and embryonic fibroblasts. On the other hand, overexpression of Usp28 stabilizes both Fbw7 and its substrates. Consequently, both complete loss and ectopic expression of Usp28 promote Ras-driven oncogenic transformation. We propose that dual regulation of Fbw7 activity by Usp28 is a safeguard mechanism for maintaining physiological levels of proto-oncogenic Fbw7 substrates, which is equivalently disrupted by loss or overexpression of Usp28.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{SanderXuEilersetal.2017,
  author    = {Sander, Bodo and Xu, Wenshan and Eilers, Martin and Popov, Nikita and Lorenz, Sonja},
  title     = {A conformational switch regulates the ubiquitin ligase HUWE1},
  series = {eLife},
  volume    = {6},
  journal   = {eLife},
  doi       = {10.7554/eLife.21036},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-171862},
  year      = {2017},
  abstract  = {The human ubiquitin ligase HUWE1 has key roles in tumorigenesis, yet it is unkown how its activity is regulated. We present the crystal structure of a C-terminal part of HUWE1, including the catalytic domain, and reveal an asymmetric auto-inhibited dimer. We show that HUWE1 dimerizes in solution and self-associates in cells, and that both occurs through the crystallographic dimer interface. We demonstrate that HUWE1 is inhibited in cells and that it can be activated by disruption of the dimer interface. We identify a conserved segment in HUWE1 that counteracts dimer formation by associating with the dimerization region intramolecularly. Our studies reveal, intriguingly, that the tumor suppressor p14ARF binds to this segment and may thus shift the conformational equilibrium of HUWE1 toward the inactive state. We propose a model, in which the activity of HUWE1 underlies conformational control in response to physiological cues—a mechanism that may be exploited for cancer therapy.},
  language  = {en}
}