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Cancer & Ubiquitin project (Prostate Cancer)

Published on 16 September 2022
Project leader

Maxim Balakirev
Laboratoire BGE
Biomics team
17 avenue des Martyrs
38 054 Grenoble cedex 09
Tel. : 33 (0)4 38 78 97 96
Fax : 33 (0)4 38 78 59 17


Functional profiling of the UPS in cancer
The ubiquitin-dependent degradation of proteins by the proteasome called ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) is a universal mechanism controlling cell function. When deregulated, the UPS has been implicated in malignant transformation, and a number of individual components of the pathway have been identified as being directly involved in cancer. A major focus of this project is the development of a systematic approach for functional profiling of the UPS in cancer that combines RNAi screening and activity-based proteomic profiling. We will synthesize new chemical probes and utilize them in RNAi screens in prostate cancer cells. With this approach, we hope to identify UPS proteins critical for prostate cancer progression.

Rulina AV, Mittler F, Obeid P, Gerbaud S, Guyon L, Sulpice E, Kermarrec F, Assard N, Dolega ME, Gidrol X and Balakirev MY
Distinct outcomes of CRL-Nedd8 pathway inhibition reveal cancer cell plasticity.
Cell Death and Disease, 2016, 7(12): Article number e2505


Proteolysis in DNA repair
Proteolytic enzymes to repair DNA? This project aims to understand a unique mechanism of DNA repair and chromatin quality control. We will study biochemically and structurally newly-discovered DNA-dependent proteases that cleave stalled proteins from the chromatin thus ensuring timely DNA repair and replication. Because this repair mechanism is central for maintenance of genome stability, the results of our project may provide an important information for understanding human diseases and for development of new treatments.


Balakirev MY, Mullally JE, Favier A, Assard N, Sulpice E, Lindsey DF, Rulina AV, Gidrol X and Wilkinson KD

Wss1 metalloprotease partners with Cdc48/Doa1 in processing genotoxic SUMO conjugates.
eLife, 2015, 4(September2015): number e06763

For an exhaustive list see Publications