This award is for biochemistry research entitled U.S.-India Cooperative Research: Co-Translational Processing of Ubiquitin Gene Products. Professor Keith Wilkinson of Emory University, Atlanta and Indian collaborator Sobhanaditya Jonnalagadda of Osmania University, Hyderabad will study the metabolism of ubiquitin. Cell growth and function is controlled by the constellation of proteins present in the cell. This is regulated both by the rates of protein synthesis and protein degradation. Protein degradation is regulated by Ubiquitin, a small protein that acts as a targeting signal to direct proteins to sites of degradation. Ubiquitin is always synthesized as a precursor protein that must be proteolytically processed to yield the mature protein. The proposed studies will test the hypothesis that this processing occurs during synthesis of the protein and is catalyzed by ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolases. This would be a novel form of precursor protein processing and may be important in understanding the regulation of protein processing.
Scope: This award formalizes and extends collaboration between the PIs who are among the early investigators in this field. PI Wilkinson has a distinguished record of contributions in the ubiquitin field and with deubiquitinating enzymes. The Indian coPI is an experienced researcher working directly in the area of this application. The research will address an important but largely neglected area and, if successful, will define a new pathway of protein processing and several synthesis site related issues. This research has the potential to seed cutting-edge ubiquitin research in India, where there has been little research activity in this area of science. Graduate students at both universities will be engaged in the project and gain unique perspectives through the international participants.
