UBE2Q2 Antibody

UBE2Q2 is identified as a putative ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme (E2) in a microarray screen for mitotic regulatory proteins. Its gene is mapped to 15q24.2. It can covalently bind ubiquitin on the active site cysteine within the UBC domain. Inhibition of UBE2Q2 in HeLa cells causes an early mitotic arrest and increases cytotoxicity when the cells are treated with microtubule-inhibiting agents (MIAs). Changes in cell cycle progression and viability are not observed in the absence of MIA treatment, indicating that UBE2Q2 is involved in the response to MIAs rather than performing a more general function in mitosis. Moreover, inhibition of the protein causes cells to undergo a prolonged prophase arrest, suggesting that UBE2Q2 normally functions to antagonize an early mitotic checkpoint. Finally, inhibition of UBE2Q2 also sensitizes cells to the cytotoxic effects of MIAs through caspase-mediated apoptosis that is correlated with PARP1 cleavage.