Gene expression and cell growth are modified by silencing SUMO2 and SUMO3 expression.

Small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) is a group of proteins binding to lysine residues of target proteins and thereby modifying their stability, activity and subcellular localization. Here we report that blocking SUMO2 and SUMO3 conjugation by silencing their expression markedly modifies gene expression. A microRNA-based RNAi system was used to specifically silence SUMO2 and SUMO3 expression simultaneously and stably transfected neuroblastoma B35 cells expressing dual SUMO2/3 microRNA were created. In cells stably expressing SUMO2/3 microRNA, mRNA levels of 105 and 58 known genes were significantly up- and down-regulated, respectively. About 20% of differentially regulated genes were associated with pathways involved in cell growth and differentiation. Cell division was significantly suppressed in SUMO2/3 miRNA expressing cells. Elucidating what effect the silencing of SUMO2/3 expression has on gene expression will help to identify the impact of SUMO2/3 conjugation on the various cellular pathways.

Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun.2009 Apr 24,382(1).

Protein Name:SUMO3
Gene Name:SUMO3 SMT3B SMT3H1

Recombinant Human Small Ubiquitin-Related Modifier 3/SUMO3 produced by our E. coli expression system. The target protein is expressed with sequence (Met1-Phe103) of Human SUMO3 fused with a 6His tag at the N-terminus.

SUMO3 belongs to the SUMO protein family and operates like ubiquitin. Ubiquitin-like protein which can be covalently attached to target lysines either as a monomer or as a lysine-linked polyer. Nevertheless unlike ubiquitin that targets proteins for degration, SUMO3 takes part in several cellular processess, such as nuclear transport, transcription regulation, apoptosis and protein stability. SUMO3 participates in amyloid beta generation and has a key role in the oneset or progression of Alzheimer's disease.