Proximity interactions of the ubiquitin ligase Mind bomb 1 reveal a role in regulation of epithelial polarity complex proteins.

MIB1 belongs to the RING domain containing family of E3 ubiquitin ligases. In vertebrates, MIB1 plays an essential role in activation of Notch signaling during development, through the ubiquitination and endocytosis of Notch ligands. More recently, Notch independent functions for MIB1 have been described in centriole homeostasis, dendritic spine outgrowth and directional cell migration. Here we use proximity-dependent biotin identification (BioID) to define the MIB1 interactome that included 163 high confidence interactions with polypeptides linked to centrosomes and cilia, endosomal trafficking, RNA and DNA processing, the ubiquitin system, and cell adhesion. Biochemical analysis identified several proteins within these groups including CCDC14 and EPS15 that were ubiquitinated but not degraded when co-expressed with MIB1. The MIB1 interactome included the epithelial cell polarity protein, EPB41L5. MIB1 binds to and ubiquitinates EPB41L5 resulting in its degradation. Furthermore, MIB1 ubiquitinates the EPB41L5-associated polarity protein CRB1, an important determinant of the apical membrane. In polarized cells, MIB1 localized to the lateral membrane with EPB41L5 and to the tight junction with CRB1, CRB3 and ZO1. Furthermore, over expression of MIB1 resulted in altered epithelial cell morphology and apical membrane expansion. These results support a role for MIB1 in regulation of polarized epithelial cell morphology.