COP9 signalosome: a multifunctional regulator of SCF and other cullin-based ubiquitin ligases

COP9 Signalosome (CSN) is a fascinating protein complex whose biochemical and physiological functions are only beginning to be understood. It is conserved throughout eukaryotes and is critical to the proper development of all multicellular organisms in which its function has been explored. Recent work suggests that CSN plays a key role in sustaining the activity of SCF and other cullin-based ubiquitin ligases, which may account for its essential roles in development. Here, we summarize what is known about CSN, and discuss hypotheses for how CSN promotes the activity of SCF ubiquitin ligases.