Ubiquitin Fold Modifier Conjugating Enzyme 1 (UFC1)

UFC1 is an E2-like conjugating enzyme for ubiquitin-fold modifier-1 (UFM1).Komatsu et al. (2004) purified fragments of proteins physically associated with UBE1DC1. By database analysis with these fragments followed by PCR of human liver cDNA, they cloned UFC1 and UFM1. The deduced 167-amino acid UFC1 protein has a predicted molecular mass of 19.4 kD and contains a potential active site cysteine residue that shares similarity with ubiquitin E2 conjugating enzymes.Using FLAG-tagged UFC1 and mutant constructs coexpressed with Myc-tagged UFM1 in HEK293 cells as well as an in vitro UFM1 conjugation assay, Komatsu et al. (2004) showed that UFC1 acts as an E2-like enzyme that conjugates with UFM1 via a thioester linkage, with the active site at cys116.