Protein degradation: CUL-3 and BTB--partners in proteolysis

Abstract

In early C. elegans embryos, the transition from meiosis to mitosis requires degradation of the MEI-1 protein. A novel class of SCF-like ubiquitin ligases has been identified that mediates this process. These ligases contain the CUL-3 scaffold at their core and use a BTB-domain protein in substrate recognition.