# Proteolytic Control of Iron Metabolism by the E3 Ubiquitin Ligase FBXL5

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES · 2020 · $327,600

## Abstract

Abstract
Eukaryotic cells have established a robust system for regulating intracellular iron homeostasis based on the E3
ubiquitin ligase FBXL5 and its degradation of Iron Regulatory Proteins 1 and 2 (IRPs). In earlier funding periods,
we established a paradigm in which FBXL5 acts as a signaling hub that integrates different physiological signals
to coordinate the downstream IRP-mediated gene expression program. This application builds on that foundation
to examine how signaling through the Fe-S cluster assembly, oxygen metabolism, and cell cycle pathways
regulates the FBXL5-IRP axis. Specific aim 1 focuses on defining the mechanism by which the O2-dependent
interaction of FBXL5 with the CIA targeting complex regulates IRP degradation. In specific aim 2, we test the
hypothesis that degradation of the E3 ubiquitin ligase pVHL by FBXL5 regulates the response of cells to hypoxia.
The experiments in specific aim 3 will examine the interplay between FBXL5 and cell cycle progression pathways
to coordinate cell proliferation with metabolism. Together, these three aims will uncover the molecular
mechanisms that govern how FBXL5 integrates and interprets signals transduced through multiple signaling
pathways in order to dictate the multi-faceted cellular response to iron availability.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9995778
- **Project number:** 2R01GM089778-10
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES
- **Principal Investigator:** James Akira Wohlschlegel
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $327,600
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 2010-07-01 → 2024-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9995778

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9995778, Proteolytic Control of Iron Metabolism by the E3 Ubiquitin Ligase FBXL5 (2R01GM089778-10). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9995778. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*