Final Report Summary - UNICOM (The making and breaking of ubiquitin chains in cholesterol metabolism) In the ERC-supported project UNICOM, the scientists are studying how cells and organisms deal with cholesterol. Specifically, the research team is studying how regulated protein degradation, a fundamental cellular process, contributes to the control of cholesterol homeostasis. Research is focused on regulated protein degradation by two enzymes, MARCH6 and IDOL, and how they contribute to production, and acquisition of exogenous cholesterol by cells, and what are the metabolic consequences of their function in mice and humans. The studies revealed that MARCH6 and IDOL are important regulators of cholesterol metabolism in cells and mice, and the results of UNICOM may suggest novel ways to treat cholesterol-related diseases in humans.
