Disruption of the autoinhibited state primes the E3 ligase parkin for activation and catalysis.

The PARK2 gene is mutated in 50% of autosomal recessive juvenile parkinsonism (ARJP) cases. It encodes parkin, an E3 ubiquitin ligase of the RBR family. Parkin exists in an autoinhibited state that is activated by phosphorylation of its N-terminal ubiquitin-like (Ubl) domain and binding of phosphoubiquitin. We describe the 1.8 Å crystal structure of human parkin in its fully inhibited state and identify the key interfaces to maintain parkin inhibition. We identify the phosphoubiquitin-binding interface, provide a model for the phosphoubiquitin-parkin complex and show how phosphorylation of the Ubl domain primes parkin for optimal phosphoubiquitin binding. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the addition of phosphoubiquitin leads to displacement of the Ubl domain through loss of structure, unveiling a ubiquitin-binding site used by the E2~Ub conjugate, thus leading to active parkin. We find the role of the Ubl domain is to prevent parkin activity in the absence of the phosphorylation signals, and propose a model for parkin inhibition, optimization for phosphoubiquitin recruitment, release of inhibition by the Ubl domain and engagement with an E2~Ub conjugate. Taken together, this model provides a mechanistic framework for activating parkin.

Parkin-phosphoubiquitin complex reveals cryptic ubiquitin-binding site required for RBR ligase activity.

RING-between-RING (RBR) E3 ligases are a class of ubiquitin ligases distinct from RING or HECT E3 ligases. An important RBR ligase is Parkin, mutations in which lead to early-onset hereditary Parkinsonism. Parkin and other RBR ligases share a catalytic RBR module but are usually autoinhibited and activated via distinct mechanisms. Recent insights into Parkin regulation predict large, unknown conformational changes during Parkin activation. However, current data on active RBR ligases reflect the absence of regulatory domains. Therefore, it remains unclear how individual RBR ligases are activated, and whether they share a common mechanism. We now report the crystal structure of a human Parkin-phosphoubiquitin complex, which shows that phosphoubiquitin binding induces movement in the 'in-between RING' (IBR) domain to reveal a cryptic ubiquitin-binding site. Mutation of this site negatively affects Parkin's activity. Furthermore, ubiquitin binding promotes cooperation between Parkin molecules, which suggests a role for interdomain association in the RBR ligase mechanism.

Structural basis for the inhibition of host protein ubiquitination by Shigella effector kinase OspG.

Shigella invasion of its human host is assisted by T3SS-delivered effector proteins. The OspG effector kinase binds ubiquitin and ubiquitin-loaded E2-conjugating enzymes, including UbcH5b and UbcH7, and attenuates the host innate immune NF-kB signaling. We present the structure of OspG bound to the UbcH7∼Ub conjugate. OspG has a minimal kinase fold lacking the activation loop of regulatory kinases. UbcH7∼Ub binds OspG at sites remote from the kinase active site, yet increases its kinase activity. The ubiquitin is positioned in the "open" conformation with respect to UbcH7 using its I44 patch to interact with the C terminus of OspG. UbcH7 binds to OspG using two conserved loops essential for E3 ligase recruitment. The interaction of the UbcH7∼Ub with OspG is remarkably similar to the interaction of an E2∼Ub with a HECT E3 ligase. OspG interferes with the interaction of UbcH7 with the E3 parkin and inhibits the activity of the E3.