COP9 signalosome

It catalyses the hydrolysis of NEDD8 protein from the cullin subunit of Cullin-RING ubiquitin ligases (CRL).

Therefore, it is responsible for CRL deneddylation – at the same time, it is able to bind denedyllated cullin-RING complex and retain them in deactivated form.

[1] The complex was originally identified in plants,[2][3] and subsequently found in all eukaryotic organisms including human.

Given the essential functions of the COP9 signalosome, the complex has been explored as a target for drug discovery.

Preclinical studies showed that inhibiting COP9 resulted in death of cancer cells and medically important parasite.