The E3 ubiquitin ligase MGRN1 targets melanocortin receptors MC1R and MC4R via interactions with transmembrane adapters.

Parashara P., Gao L., Riglos A., Lartey D., Sidhu SB., Marks T., Williams C., Siauw G., Lee K-J., Ostrem AIL., Siebold C., Riffle M., Kinnebrew M., Gunn TM., Kong JH.

Mahogunin ring finger 1 (MGRN1) is a membrane-tethered E3 ligase that fine-tunes signaling sensitivity by targeting surface receptors for ubiquitylation and degradation. Although MGRN1 is known to regulate the Hedgehog signaling effector Smoothened (SMO) via the transmembrane adapter multiple epidermal growth factor-like 8 (MEGF8), the broader scope of its regulatory network has been speculative. Here, we identify attractin (ATRN) and attractin-like 1 (ATRNL1) as additional transmembrane adapters that recruit MGRN1 and regulate cell surface receptor turnover. Through co-immunoprecipitation, we show that ATRN interacts with the RING domain of MGRN1. Functional assays suggest that ATRN and ATRNL1 work with MGRN1 to promote the ubiquitylation and degradation of the melanocortin receptors MC1R and MC4R, in a process analogous to its regulation of SMO. Loss of MGRN1 or ATRN leads to increased surface and ciliary localization of MC4R in fibroblasts and elevated MC1R levels in melanocytes, resulting in enhanced eumelanin production. These findings expand the known repertoire of MGRN1-regulated receptors and provide new insight into a shared mechanism by which membrane-tethered E3 ligases utilize transmembrane adapters to facilitate substrate receptor specificity.

DOI

10.1242/jcs.264084

Type

Journal article

Publication Date

2025-12-01T00:00:00+00:00

Volume

138

Addresses

Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.

Keywords

Animals, Humans, Mice, Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases, Receptor, Melanocortin, Type 1, Receptor, Melanocortin, Type 4, Signal Transduction, Protein Binding, Ubiquitination, HEK293 Cells

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