# Maintaining Genome Integrity and Suppressing Tumorigenesis by the 3M-CUL7-CUL9-p53

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL · 2020 · $345,734

## Abstract

Project Abstract
The long-term goal of this investigation is to understand cell cycle control and tumor suppression. The current
investigation is focused on the function and mechanism of CUL9, a cytoplasmic E3 ubiquitin ligases that bind
to p53 to maintain genomic integrity and suppress tumorigenesis. Four major findings we made over the past
funding period led to this proposal. (1) Genetic analysis of Cul9 mutant mice demonstrates its functions in
maintaining genomic integrity and tumor suppression. (2) Genetic analyses of Cul9-p53 double mutant mice
and knock-in mutation in CUL9 disrupting p53 binding demonstrate the critical role of p53 in mediating CUL9's
function. (3) CUL9 activates p53 function and promotes K63-linked p53 ubiquitylation. (4) CUL9 is a critical
downstream effector of the CUL7, OBLS1 and CCDC8, three genes that are mutated in a mutually exclusive
manner in 3M developmental disorder and form a protein complex. We propose three Specific Aims to test this
hypothesis.
Aim 1. Determine the mechanism of p53 activation by CUL9-catalyzed ubiquitylation
Aim 2. Determine the mechanisms of CUL9 autoinhibition and regulation by CUL7 and CCDC8
Aim 3. Genetic analysis of Cul7-Cul9-p53 pathway
This investigation includes three innovative aspects; the first E3 ligase that activates p53 and can catalyze both
proteolytic and non-proteolytic ubiquitylation, a novel regulation of p53 by K63-linked polyubiquitylation, a novel
regulation of CUL9 by autoinhibition and binding with a disease-linked protein complex. The strengths of this
investigation include extensive use of knock-out and knock-in mutants in both cultured cells and mice, and
combined multidisciplinary approaches to gain insights into both the physiological functions and biochemical
mechanisms of the CUL7-CUL9-p53 pathway. Achieving these objectives will explore an emerging field—
protein control by ubiquitin chain of different linkages, contribute new insights into the mechanism of the new
class of RBR E3 ligases, shed new light on p53 regulation and genome integrity maintenance, and identify
potential therapeutic targets for activating p53.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10017655
- **Project number:** 5R01CA068377-23
- **Recipient organization:** UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL
- **Principal Investigator:** WILLIAM F. MARZLUFF
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $345,734
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1995-07-17 → 2022-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10017655

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10017655, Maintaining Genome Integrity and Suppressing Tumorigenesis by the 3M-CUL7-CUL9-p53 (5R01CA068377-23). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10017655. Licensed CC0.

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