Ubiquitin and ubiquitin-like modifications of the p53 family

Regulation of p53 by the ubiquitin - proteasomal pathway has been studied considerably. Studies have also demonstrated that the ubiquitin-like proteins SUMO-1 and NEDD8 modify p53. Similarly, p63 and p73 are subject to regulation by ubiquitin and ubiquitin-like modifications, and perturbations of these pathways in the regulation of the p53 family have been implicated in tumorigenesis and developmental abnormalities. Here, we provide an overview of the current understanding of the regulation of the p53 family by covalent modification by ubiquitin, SUMO-1, and NEDD8.