Regulation of death receptor signaling by the ubiquitin system

The study of death receptor (DR) signaling has led to the discovery of new signaling paradigms, including the first example of direct receptor-mediated activation of a protease (caspase-8) that functions as a second messenger to initiate a 'death cascade' of downstream protease activation. More recently, this receptor system has underscored the importance of ubiquitin modification in NF-kappa B activation. Both degradative lysine 48-linked polyubiquitin and scaffolding lysine 63-linked polyubiquitin have an essential role in signal propagation. Remarkably, a negative feedback process, termed ubiquitin editing, regulates signaling that emanates from certain DRs. Ubiquitin editing is mediated by a complex interplay between the ubiquitination and deubiquitination machinery, resulting in the replacement of signal enhancing lysine 63-linked polyubiquitin with signal extinguishing lysine 48-linked polyubiquitin. The ubiquitination machinery and its regulation in the context of DR signaling are discussed herein. Cell Death and Differentiation (2010) 17, 14-24; doi:10.1038/cdd.2009.168; published online 6 November 2009