Wss1 Is a SUMO-Dependent Isopeptidase That Interacts Genetically with the Slx5-Slx8 SUMO-Targeted Ubiquitin Ligase

Protein sumoylation plays an important but poorly understood role in controlling genome integrity. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the Slx5-Slx8 SUMO-targeted Ub ligase appears to be needed to ubiquitinate sumoylated proteins that arise in the absence of the Sgs1 DNA helicase. WSS1, a high-copy-number suppressor of a mutant SUMO, was implicated in this pathway because it shares phenotypes with SLX5-SLX8 mutants, including a wss1 Delta sgs1 Delta synthetic-fitness defect. Here we show that Wss1, a putative metalloprotease, physically binds SUMO and displays in vitro isopeptidase activity on poly-SUMO chains. Like that of SLX5, overexpression of WSS1 suppresses sgs1 Delta slx5 Delta lethality and the ulp1ts growth defect. Interestingly, although Wss1 is relatively inactive on ubiquitinated substrates and poly-Ub chains, it efficiently deubiquitinates a Ub-SUMO isopeptide conjugate and a Ub-SUMO fusion protein. Wss1 was further implicated in Ub metabolism on the basis of its physical association with proteasomal subunits. The results suggest that Wss1 is a SUMO-dependent isopeptidase that acts on sumoylated substrates as they undergo proteasomal degradation.