Targeted disruption of Drosophila Roc1b reveals functional differences in the roc subunit of Cullin-dependent E3 ubiquitin ligases

Cullin-dependent ubiquitin ligases regulate a variety of cellular and developmental processes by recruiting specific proteins for ubiquitin-mediated degradation. Cullin proteins form a scaffold for two functional modules: a catalytic module comprised of a small RING domain protein Roc1/Rbx1 and a ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme (E2), and a substrate recruitment module containing one or more proteins that bind to and bring the substrate in proximity to the catalytic module. Here, we present evidence that the three Drosophila Roc proteins are not functionally equivalent. Mutation of Roc1a causes lethality that cannot be rescued by expression of Roc1b or Roc2 by using the Roc1a promoter. Roc1a mutant cells hyperaccumulate Cubitus interruptus, a transcription factor that mediates Hedgehog signaling. This phenotype is not rescued by expression of Roc2 and only partially by expression of Roc1b. Targeted disruption of Roc1b causes male sterility that is partially rescued by expression of Roc1a by using the Roc1b promoter, but not by similar expression of Roc2. These data indicate that Roc proteins play nonredundant roles during development. Coimmunoprecipitation followed by Western or mass spectrometric analysis indicate that the three Roc proteins preferentially bind certain Cullins, providing a possible explanation for the distinct biological activities of each Drosophila Roc/Rbx.