What is a degron?

A degron is a peptide sequence in a protein that mediates its degradation through the ubiquitin-proteasome system. When a protein contains a degron, it is recognized by a ubiquitin ligase enzyme, which tags the protein with ubiquitin molecules. The ubiquitin tags then signal the proteasome to degrade the protein. Degrading proteins can regulate cellular processes, such as cell cycle progression, signal transduction, and immune response, and degron-mediated degradation is an important mechanism for maintaining cellular homeostasis. Mutations in degron sequences can lead to protein accumulation, which can result in diseases such as cancer, neurodegeneration, and immune disorders.