Temporal control of ubiquitin-proteasome mediated protein degradation
is critical for normal G(1) and S phase progression. Recent work has s
hown that central to the temporal control mechanism is a relationship
between newly identified E3 ubiquitin protein ligases, designated SCFs
(Skp1-cullin-F-box protein ligase complexes), which confer substrate
specificity on ubiquitination reactions and the activities of protein
kinases that phosphorylate substrates destined for destruction at spec
ific sites, thereby converting them into preferred targets for ubiquit
in modification catalyzed by SCFs. The constituents of SCFs are member
s of evolutionary conserved protein families. SCF-based ubiquitination
pathways may play a key role in diverse biological processes, such as
cell proliferation, differentiation and development.