Affinage

DCAF15

DDB1- and CUL4-associated factor 15 · UniProt Q66K64

Length
600 aa
Mass
66.5 kDa
Annotated
2026-06-09
11 papers in source corpus 11 papers cited in narrative 11 extracted findings
Cross-family judge vs UniProt: Affinage preferred faithfulness: 7/7 claims corpus-supported (100%)

Mechanistic narrative

Synthesis pass · prose summary of the discoveries below

DCAF15 is the substrate-receptor subunit of a CRL4 (CUL4-RBX1-DDB1) E3 ubiquitin ligase, where it adopts a distinct, non-canonical fold stabilized by the small subunit DDA1 (PMID:31686031). Its defining biochemical property is that it harbors a shallow, non-conserved surface pocket that is neo-functionalized by aryl-sulfonamide molecular glues (indisulam, E7820): the drug binds cooperatively at the interface between DCAF15 and the RRM2 domain of the splicing factor RBM39, coordinating extensive protein-protein contacts that mitigate the low intrinsic affinity of the glue and recruit RBM39 for ubiquitination on its N-terminus (PMID:31819272, PMID:31693911, PMID:31693891). RBM39 is engaged through an α-helical degron in its RRM2 domain, and the paralog RBM23 is recruited and degraded by the same mechanism (PMID:31819272, PMID:31693891). Sulfonamide-induced degradation of RBM39 reprograms alternative splicing—including intron retention, exon skipping, and KRAS4A isoform production—accounting for the drugs' downstream effects (PMID:31693891, PMID:34257283). Beyond RBM39/RBM23, drug-dependent neo-substrates include PRPF39 and ARNT (PMID:31626998, PMID:33168788). Independently of molecular glues, DCAF15 also directs ubiquitin-proteasome degradation of endogenous substrates: ZEB1, recognized through its N-terminal zinc-finger domain, with consequences for EMT (PMID:33833131), and EphA2, ubiquitinated at defined lysines in a manner regulated by SIRT1-mediated deacetylation of DCAF15 (PMID:41276610). Endogenously, DCAF15 interacts with the SMC1A subunit of cohesin and destabilizes the cohesin regulators PDS5A and CDCA5, thereby controlling cohesin acetylation, chromatin loop extrusion, replication fork integrity, and survival of acute myeloid leukemia cells (PMID:38961054).

Mechanistic history

Synthesis pass · year-by-year structured walk · 9 steps
  1. 2019 High

    Established at atomic resolution how a substrate-receptor with no obvious binding cleft can be co-opted by a small molecule to recruit a neo-substrate, defining the molecular-glue mechanism for DCAF15.

    Evidence X-ray crystallography of DCAF15-DDB1-DDA1-indisulam-RBM39(RRM2) plus RBM39 point mutagenesis and indisulam analog SAR

    PMID:31693911 PMID:31819272

    Open questions at the time
    • Did not define endogenous, drug-independent function of DCAF15
    • Limited to RBM39 RRM2; full-length substrate engagement geometry not resolved
  2. 2019 High

    Showed DCAF15 adopts a new DDA1-stabilized fold and that aryl-sulfonamides neo-functionalize a shallow non-conserved pocket selective for RBM39 and its paralog RBM23, explaining substrate selectivity.

    Evidence Cryo-EM (4.4 Å) of DDB1-DCAF15-DDA1-RBM39-E7820 with crystal structures of engineered subcomplexes and biochemical binding assays

    PMID:31686031

    Open questions at the time
    • Lower resolution limits side-chain interpretation at the drug interface
    • Did not address whether other DCAF15 substrates use the same pocket
  3. 2019 High

    Genetically mapped the DCAF15 residues and RBM39 degron required for drug-induced recruitment and demonstrated the splicing phenotype is attributable solely to RBM39 loss, linking degradation to transcriptomic output.

    Evidence Domain mapping, random mutagenesis (DCAF15 Q232/D475), ubiquitination assays, and RNA-seq

    PMID:31693891

    Open questions at the time
    • Did not establish endogenous physiological substrates
    • Mechanism of N-terminal ubiquitin site selection not resolved
  4. 2019 Medium

    Expanded the drug-dependent neo-substrate repertoire beyond RBM39/RBM23 by identifying PRPF39 through unbiased proteomics.

    Evidence pSILAC mass spectrometry with ubiquitination assay, proteasome-inhibitor rescue, and DCAF15 knockdown

    PMID:31626998

    Open questions at the time
    • No structural basis for PRPF39 recognition
    • Single-lab validation
  5. 2020 Medium

    Identified ARNT as a sulfonamide-induced DCAF15 substrate degraded independently of RBM39/RBM23, linking DCAF15 activity to HIF and AhR transcriptional pathways.

    Evidence Co-IP, proteasome-inhibitor rescue, RBM39/RBM23 knockdown controls, transcriptional reporter assays

    PMID:33168788

    Open questions at the time
    • Degron on ARNT not mapped
    • No reciprocal structural validation
  6. 2021 Medium

    Demonstrated that DCAF15 has an endogenous, drug-independent substrate (ZEB1) recognized via its N-terminal zinc-finger domain, controlling EMT.

    Evidence Co-IP, domain mapping, ubiquitination assay, and DCAF15 knockdown/overexpression with EMT readouts in hepatocellular carcinoma cells

    PMID:33833131

    Open questions at the time
    • Single-lab, single-cancer context
    • No structure of the DCAF15-ZEB1 interface
  7. 2021 Medium

    Placed the DCAF15-RBM39 axis upstream of a specific oncogenic splicing event (KRAS4A isoform) with functional consequences for cancer stem cells.

    Evidence Indisulam treatment, isoform-specific RNA analysis, and cancer stem cell functional assays

    PMID:34257283

    Open questions at the time
    • Indirect (mediated by RBM39 splicing activity rather than direct DCAF15 substrate)
    • Single-lab
  8. 2024 High

    Defined an endogenous, drug-independent function of DCAF15 in genome stability: it binds cohesin via SMC1A and destabilizes PDS5A/CDCA5 to control cohesin acetylation, loop extrusion, and replication fork integrity.

    Evidence Domain-focused genetic screen, DCAF15 knockout, reciprocal Co-IP (DCAF15-SMC1A), cohesin acetylation, loop extrusion, replication fork, and DNA damage assays in AML cells

    PMID:38961054

    Open questions at the time
    • Whether PDS5A/CDCA5 are direct ubiquitination substrates of CRL4-DCAF15 not fully resolved
    • Generality beyond AML not established
  9. 2025 Medium

    Revealed PTM-dependent regulation of DCAF15 substrate engagement, showing SIRT1-mediated deacetylation of DCAF15 enhances EphA2 ubiquitination, with consequences for blood-brain barrier integrity.

    Evidence Co-IP, ubiquitination and acetylation site mapping, SIRT1 deacetylase assay, and in vitro/in vivo BBB models of S. suis meningitis

    PMID:41276610

    Open questions at the time
    • Single-lab, infection-specific context
    • Direct degron on EphA2 not structurally defined

Open questions

Synthesis pass · forward-looking unresolved questions
  • It remains unresolved how DCAF15 selects among its diverse endogenous substrates without a molecular glue, and whether a unifying structural logic links cohesin regulation, ZEB1, and EphA2 degradation.
  • No structure of DCAF15 with any endogenous substrate
  • Degron features of endogenous substrates undefined
  • Regulation of DCAF15 abundance/activity in normal physiology unknown

Mechanism profile

Synthesis pass · controlled-vocabulary classification · explore literature graph →
Molecular activity
GO:0016874 ligase activity 4 GO:0140096 catalytic activity, acting on a protein 4 GO:0060090 molecular adaptor activity 3
Localization
GO:0005634 nucleus 1
Pathway
R-HSA-392499 Metabolism of proteins 3 R-HSA-8953854 Metabolism of RNA 2 R-HSA-1640170 Cell Cycle 1
Complex memberships
CRL4-DCAF15 (CUL4-RBX1-DDB1-DDA1-DCAF15) E3 ubiquitin ligase

Evidence

Reading pass · 11 per-paper findings extracted from the source corpus
Year Finding Method Journal Conf PMIDs
2019 Crystal structure of the DCAF15-DDB1-DDA1-indisulam-RBM39(RRM2) complex at 2.3 Å resolution revealed that DCAF15 has a distinct topology that embraces the RBM39 RRM2 domain largely via non-polar interactions, with indisulam binding in a pocket between DCAF15 and RBM39(RRM2) to coordinate additional protein-protein contacts. Point mutants of RBM39 and indisulam analogs validated the structural model and defined the RBM39 α-helical degron motif recognized by DCAF15. X-ray crystallography (2.3 Å), RBM39 point mutagenesis, indisulam analog structure-activity studies Nature chemical biology High 31819272
2019 Cryo-EM structure of the DDB1-DCAF15-DDA1 core ligase complex bound to RBM39 and E7820 at 4.4 Å, together with crystal structures of engineered subcomplexes, showed that DCAF15 adopts a new fold stabilized by DDA1 and that aryl-sulfonamides neo-functionalize a shallow, non-conserved pocket on DCAF15 to selectively recruit and degrade RBM39 and RBM23. Extensive protein-protein contacts between the ligase and substrate mitigate low-affinity interactions between the drug and DCAF15. Cryo-EM (4.4 Å), X-ray crystallography of subcomplexes, biochemical binding assays Nature chemical biology High 31686031
2019 Crystal structure of DDA1-DDB1-DCAF15 in complex with E7820 and the RRM2 domain of RBM39 revealed that E7820 packs in a shallow pocket on the surface of DCAF15 and the modified interface binds RBM39 through the α1 helix of the RRM2 domain. Kinetic studies demonstrated that aryl sulfonamide and RBM39 bind DCAF15 in a synergistic (cooperative) manner, confirming aryl sulfonamides act as molecular glues. X-ray crystallography, kinetic binding analysis Structure High 31693911
2019 Domain mapping and random mutagenesis identified DCAF15 residues Q232 and D475 as necessary for indisulam-dependent RBM39 recruitment. RBM39 is recruited to DCAF15 via its RRM2 domain and is ubiquitinated on its N terminus. RBM23, a paralog of RBM39, is also recruited to CRL4-DCAF15 through its RRM2 domain and undergoes sulfonamide-dependent degradation. Indisulam-induced splicing changes (intron retention, exon skipping) are attributable solely to RBM39 degradation. Domain mapping, random mutagenesis, ubiquitination assays, RNA-seq Cell reports High 31693891
2019 Using pSILAC proteomics combined with two complementary digestion approaches, PRPF39 was identified as a novel substrate of E7070/DCAF15. PRPF39 undergoes DCAF15-dependent ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation upon E7070 treatment, establishing it as a bona fide neo-substrate of the CUL4-DCAF15 E3 ubiquitin ligase. pSILAC mass spectrometry, ubiquitination assay, proteasome inhibitor rescue, DCAF15 knockdown Journal of proteomics Medium 31626998
2020 ARNT (aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator) interacts with DCAF15 and undergoes proteasomal degradation induced by aryl sulfonamides indisulam and E7820 through CRL4-DCAF15, independently of the known neo-substrates RBM39 and RBM23. This degradation inhibited transcriptional activities of HIFs and AhR associated with ARNT. Co-immunoprecipitation, proteasome inhibitor rescue, RBM39/RBM23 knockdown controls, transcriptional reporter assays Molecules and cells Medium 33168788
2021 ZEB1 was identified as an endogenous substrate of the CRL4-DCAF15 E3 ubiquitin ligase complex. DCAF15 acts as an adaptor that specifically recognizes the N-terminal zinc finger domain of ZEB1 and triggers its ubiquitin-proteasome-mediated degradation. DCAF15 knockdown led to ZEB1 upregulation and EMT activation, while DCAF15 overexpression suppressed ZEB1 and inhibited EMT in hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Co-immunoprecipitation, domain mapping, ubiquitination assay, DCAF15 knockdown/overexpression with EMT phenotypic readout Aging Medium 33833131
2021 DCAF15/RBM39 pathway controls KRAS4A alternative splicing. Pharmacological inhibition of RBM39 using indisulam reduces KRAS4A isoform levels and inhibits cancer stem cells, placing DCAF15 upstream of KRAS4A isoform production through RBM39-dependent splicing regulation. Indisulam treatment, isoform-specific RT-PCR/RNA analysis, cancer stem cell functional assays Nature communications Medium 34257283
2024 DCAF15 directly interacts with the SMC1A subunit of the cohesin complex and destabilizes cohesin regulatory factors PDS5A and CDCA5. Loss of DCAF15 causes loss of PDS5A and CDCA5, precluding cohesin acetylation on chromatin, resulting in uncontrolled chromatin loop extrusion, defective DNA replication fork integrity, accumulation of DNA damage, and apoptosis in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells. Domain-focused genetic screen, DCAF15 loss-of-function (knockout), co-immunoprecipitation (DCAF15-SMC1A), cohesin acetylation assays, chromatin loop extrusion analysis, replication fork assays, DNA damage markers Nature communications High 38961054
2025 DCAF15 interacts with EphA2 receptor and promotes its K48- and K63-linked ubiquitination at lysine residues K646, K649, and K754, leading to EphA2 degradation. S. suis STK phosphorylates SIRT1 at S48, triggering SIRT1-mediated deacetylation of DCAF15 at K552 and K581, which enhances DCAF15-EphA2 interaction and EphA2 ubiquitination. This DCAF15-mediated EphA2 degradation disrupts blood-brain barrier integrity during S. suis meningitis. Co-immunoprecipitation, ubiquitination site mapping (K646/K649/K754), acetylation site mapping (K552/K581), SIRT1 deacetylase assay, in vitro and in vivo BBB disruption models Communications biology Medium 41276610
2024 Network-based proteomics analysis identified RBM5 as a novel indisulam neo-substrate degraded in a proteasome-dependent manner via DCAF15, expanding the list of CRL4-DCAF15 substrates beyond RBM39 and RBM23. Network-based omics prioritization (Random Walk with Restart), proteomics, proteasome inhibitor rescue bioRxivpreprint Low bio_10.1101_2024.09.16.613231

Source papers

Stage 0 corpus · 11 papers · ranked by NIH iCite citations
Year Title Journal Citations PMID
2019 Structural basis of indisulam-mediated RBM39 recruitment to DCAF15 E3 ligase complex. Nature chemical biology 188 31819272
2019 Structural complementarity facilitates E7820-mediated degradation of RBM39 by DCAF15. Nature chemical biology 166 31686031
2019 Structural Basis and Kinetic Pathway of RBM39 Recruitment to DCAF15 by a Sulfonamide Molecular Glue E7820. Structure (London, England : 1993) 131 31693911
2019 Aryl Sulfonamides Degrade RBM39 and RBM23 by Recruitment to CRL4-DCAF15. Cell reports 93 31693891
2021 Targeting KRAS4A splicing through the RBM39/DCAF15 pathway inhibits cancer stem cells. Nature communications 43 34257283
2020 Targeting the E3 ubiquitin ligases DCAF15 and cereblon for cancer therapy. Seminars in cancer biology 19 32200025
2019 pSILAC method coupled with two complementary digestion approaches reveals PRPF39 as a new E7070-dependent DCAF15 substrate. Journal of proteomics 17 31626998
2021 Tumor suppressor DCAF15 inhibits epithelial-mesenchymal transition by targeting ZEB1 for proteasomal degradation in hepatocellular carcinoma. Aging 15 33833131
2024 DCAF15 control of cohesin dynamics sustains acute myeloid leukemia. Nature communications 12 38961054
2020 Aryl Sulfonamides Induce Degradation of Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Nuclear Translocator through CRL4DCAF15 E3 Ligase. Molecules and cells 8 33168788
2025 Dcaf15-mediated EphA2 degradation triggers disruption of the blood-brain barrier during Streptococcus suis meningitis. Communications biology 0 41276610

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