Understanding ubiquitination in neurodevelopment by integrating insights across space and time

Abstract

Ubiquitination regulates a myriad of eukaryotic signaling cascades by modifying substrate proteins, thereby determining their functions and fates. In this perspective, we discuss current challenges in investigating the ubiquitin system in the developing brain. We foster the concept that ubiquitination pathways are spatiotemporally regulated and tightly intertwined with molecular and cellular transitions during neurogenesis and neural circuit assembly. Focusing on the neurologically highly relevant class of homologous to E6AP C-terminus (HECT) ubiquitin ligases, we propose cross-disciplinary translational approaches bridging state-of-the-art cell biology, proteomics, biochemistry, structural biology and neuroscience to dissect ubiquitination in neurodevelopment and its specific perturbations in brain diseases. We highlight that a comprehensive understanding of ubiquitin signaling in the brain may reveal new horizons in basic neuroscience and clinical applications. In this perspective, the authors showcase the importance and need for additional investigation of the ubiquitin-dependent regulation of neurodevelopment. They then propose interdisciplinary approaches that will allow improved spatiotemporal understanding of this relationship in the context of basic neuroscience and disease.