Malfunctions in this
process of ubiquitination are involved in several diseases including cancers, neurological disorders and viral infections.
«Our results suggest that Importin - 11 is the «Achilles» heel»
of the ubiquitination system that maintains the correct levels of PTEN inside cells.»
The team found another unique
aspect of the ubiquitination process is the use of a molecule named nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, or NAD, as a source of energy.
The latter is responsible for wasting of skeletal muscle as the innate proteasomes destroy specific proteins through the
process of ubiquitination.