The possible biological and reproductive functions of ubiquitin

The protein ubiquitin (Ub) appears to be present in all eukaryotic cells. Its widespread presence and extremely conserved structure indicate that it may play a vital role in cell metabolism. The roles of Ub are mediated by its covalent attachment to target proteins, a process known as ubiquitylation, a form of protein modification which may lead to degradation of the modified protein. A number of proteins with similar structure to Ub but varying in function have been isolated. Recently, there has been much interest in the role of Ub and its related proteins in reproductive processes. Ub and Ub-related proteins may be involved in gametogenesis, modulation of steroid receptor concentrations, placental development and endometrial modification at the beginning of pregnancy. These wide-ranging effects have led to extensive research which will be reviewed in this article.