Modified RING finger, HC subclass (C2H2C4-type), found in E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase MDM2 and similar proteins
MDM2, also known as double minute 2 protein (Hdm2), oncoprotein MDM2, or p53-binding protein, exerts its oncogenic activity predominantly by binding p53 tumor suppressor and blocking its transcriptional activity. It forms homo-oligomers and displays E3 ubiquitin ligase activity that catalyzes the attachment of ubiquitin to p53 as an essential step in the regulation of its levels in cells. Moreover, in response to ribosomal stress, MDM2-mediated p53 ubiquitination and degradation can be inhibited through its interaction with ribosomal proteins L5, L11, and L23. MDM2 can be phosphorylated in the DNA damage. Meanwhile, MDM2 has a p53-independent role in tumorigenesis and cell growth regulation. In addition, it binds interferon (IFN) regulatory factor-2 (IRF-2), an IFN-regulated transcription factor, and mediates its ubiquitination. MDM2 contains an N-terminal p53-binding domain, and a C-terminal modified C2H2C4-type RING-HC finger conferring E3 ligase activity that is required for ubiquitination and nuclear export of p53. It is also responsible for the hetero-oligomerization of MDM2, which is crucial for the suppression of P53 activity during embryonic development, and the recruitment of E2 ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes. MDM2 also harbors a RanBP2-type zinc finger (zf-RanBP2) domain, as well as a nuclear localization signal (NLS) and a nuclear export signal (NES), near the central acidic region. The zf-RanBP2 domain plays an important role in mediating MDM2 binding to ribosomal proteins and thus is involved in MDM2-mediated p53 suppression.
Comment:The third conserved zinc-binding residue, cysteine, is replaced by histidine in this family.
Comment:consensus of the typical C3HC4-type RING-HC finger: C-X2-C-X(9-39)-C-X(1-3)-H-X(2-3)-C-X2-C-X(4-48)-C-X2-C, X is any amino acid and the number of X residues varies in different fingers
Comment:A RING finger typically binds two zinc atoms, with its Cys and/or His side chains in a unique "cross-brace" arrangement.
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