PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Barry, Michele
AU  - Früh, Klaus
TI  - Viral Modulators of Cullin RING Ubiquitin Ligases: Culling the Host Defense
AID  - 10.1126/stke.3352006pe21
DP  - 2006 May 16
TA  - Science's STKE
PG  - pe21--pe21
VI  - 2006
IP  - 335
4099  - http://stke.sciencemag.org/content/2006/335/pe21.short
4100  - http://stke.sciencemag.org/content/2006/335/pe21.full
SO  - Sci. STKE2006 May 16; 2006
AB  - Cullin RING ubiquitin ligases (CRULs) are found in all eukaryotes and play an essential role in targeting proteins for ubiquitin-mediated destruction, thus regulating a plethora of cellular processes. Viruses manipulate CRULs by redirecting this destruction machinery to eliminate unwanted host cell proteins, thus allowing viruses to slip past host immune barriers. Depending on the host organism, virus-modified CRULs can perform an amazing range of tasks, including the elimination of crucial signal transduction molecules in the human interferon pathway and suppression of virus-induced gene silencing in plants. This Perspective summarizes recent advances in our understanding of how viral proteins manipulate the function of CRULs.