Ubiquitin is a highly conserved nuclear and cytoplasmic protein that has a major role in targeting cellular proteins for degradation by the 26S proteosome. It is also involved in the maintenance of chromatin structure, the regulation of gene expression, and the stress response. Ubiquitin is synthesized as a precursor protein consisting of either polyubiquitin chains or a single ubiquitin moiety fused to an unrelated protein. This gene encodes a fusion protein consisting of ubiquitin at the N-terminus and ribosomal protein L40 at the C-terminus, a C-terminal extension protein (CEP). Multiple processed pseudogenes derived from this gene are present in the genome.
The cell's ribosomal protein L40 (rpL40), a part of the large 60S subunit. rpL40 is used by certain RNA viruses to translate messenger RNAs (mRNAs) into proteins while few host mRNAs require rpL40. Hence targeting this protein may provide a means to combat viral infections with minimum side effects to the host.
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