Ubiquitin C (UBC)

Ubiquitin C (*UBC*) is a gene that encodes a polyubiquitin precursor protein comprising tandem repeats of the highly conserved ubiquitin monomer. Upon cellular stress such as heat shock, oxidative stress, and proteotoxic insults, UBC transcription is upregulated to maintain ubiquitin homeostasis and facilitate the removal of damaged or misfolded proteins. Polyubiquitin chains formed from ubiquitin C serve non-redundant cellular functions depending on linkage type, including targeting proteins for proteasomal degradation, regulating DNA repair, controlling cell cycle progression, mediating kinase signaling, and organizing autophagy or innate immune responses. Loss of UBC function results in developmental failure, demonstrating its essential role in cellular viability and stress adaptation. While ubiquitin and its conjugation pathway are central to many diseases and therapeutic strategies, UBC itself is not typically targeted by drugs, with therapies focusing on downstream proteasome activities or ubiquitin pathway enzymes

Other names

Polyubiquitin-CUBCUbiquitin

Drugs such as proteasome inhibitors block the degradation of ubiquitinated proteins. Modulators of protein homeostasis impact the ubiquitination pathway indirectly.