In molecular biology, the Ubiquitin-Interacting Motif (UIM), or 'LALAL-motif', is a sequence motif of about 20 amino acid residues, which was first described in the 26S proteasome subunit PSD4/RPN-10 that is known to recognise ubiquitin.
[1][2] In addition, the UIM is found, often in tandem or triplet arrays, in a variety of proteins either involved in ubiquitination and ubiquitin metabolism, or known to interact with ubiquitin-like modifiers.
Among the UIM proteins are two different subgroups of the UBP (ubiquitin carboxy-terminal hydrolase) family of deubiquitinating enzymes, one F-box protein, one family of HECT-containing ubiquitin-ligases (E3s) from plants, and several proteins containing ubiquitin-associated UBA and/or UBX domains.
UIMs have been shown to bind ubiquitin and to serve as a specific targeting signal important for monoubiquitination.
Instead, based on the spacing of the conserved residues, the motif probably forms a short alpha-helix that can be embedded into different protein folds.