Defined Polyubiquitin Chains for Ubiquitin Signaling Research

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Interrogate Ubiquitin Signaling and Protein Dynamics with Defined Polyubiquitin Chains

Trilogie Bioscience’s defined polyubiquitin chains enable targeted investigation of ubiquitin signaling, protein degradation, DNA repair, autophagy, immune signaling, and protein trafficking pathways. These research-use-only reagents are enzymatically assembled from wild-type ubiquitin and manufactured with defined linkage specificity, controlled chain length, and high purity to support the generation of reproducible biochemical and biophysical data.

Available linkage types include M1 (Linear), K6, K11, K29, K33, K48, and K63 polyubiquitin chains, with well-characterized di-ubiquitin and tetra-ubiquitin formats. Each linkage represents a distinct ubiquitin “signal,” helping researchers evaluate how chain architecture influences protein fate, pathway activation, and ubiquitin-dependent regulation.

Applications include:

  • Ubiquitin Signaling Research
  • Protein Degradation Studies
  • DNA Damage Repair, Mitophagy, and Autophagy Studies 
  • Lysosomal Targeting and Cellular Stress Response Research 
  • Enzyme Specificity Assays 
  • Drug Discovery and Assay Development 

Why Use Defined Polyubiquitin Chains?

Ubiquitin chains can encode different biological outcomes depending on their lysine linkage and chain length. Using defined polyubiquitin chains allows researchers to study specific ubiquitin signals without the ambiguity introduced by heterogeneous or mixed-linkage materials.

Benefits of Defined Polyubiquitin Chains

  • Precise linkage specificity across M1 (Linear), K6, K11, K29, K33, K48, and K63 chains
  • Controlled di- and tetra-ubiquitin chain lengths
  • Minimal heterogeneity
  • Low levels of off-target linkages
  • Free of mono-ubiquitin contamination
  • Supports reproducible pathway and enzyme assays
  • Useful for studying linkage-specific ubiquitin recognition and signaling

Ubiquitin Chain Linkages and Biological Applications

K6-Linked Polyubiquitin Chains

K6-linked ubiquitin chains are associated with DNA damage repair and mitophagy, making them useful tools for studying mitochondrial quality control and genome maintenance pathways.

K11-Linked Polyubiquitin Chains

K11-linked chains are commonly associated with cell cycle control and proteasomal degradation, supporting research into cell cycle regulation, protein turnover, and ubiquitin-mediated degradation mechanisms.

K29-Linked Polyubiquitin Chains

K29-linked chains are connected to lysosomal targeting and stress response pathways, enabling investigation of noncanonical ubiquitin signaling and cellular stress biology.

K33-Linked Polyubiquitin Chains

K33-linked ubiquitin chains are associated with protein trafficking and immune signaling, supporting studies of intracellular transport, signaling regulation, and immune pathway modulation.

K48-Linked Polyubiquitin Chains

K48-linked chains are the canonical signal for proteasomal degradation and are widely used in studies of protein turnover, proteasome function, and ubiquitin-dependent degradation.

K63-Linked Polyubiquitin Chains

K63-linked chains are associated with signaling, DNA repair, and autophagy, making them valuable for studying non-degradative ubiquitin signaling and pathway regulation.

References: 

Tracz M, Bialek W. Beyond K48 and K63: non-canonical protein ubiquitination. Cell Mol Biol Lett. 2021 Jan 5;26(1):1. doi: 10.1186/s11658-020-00245-6. PMID: 33402098.

Dittmar G, Winklhofer KF. Linear Ubiquitin Chains: Cellular Functions and Strategies for Detection and Quantification. Front Chem. 2020 Jan 10;7:915. doi: 10.3389/fchem.2019.00915. PMID: 31998699.

High Homogeneity for Reliable Ubiquitin Research

Linkage composition analysis demonstrates high homogeneity across Trilogie’s defined polyubiquitin chain products. The reported target linkage composition is generally very high, with linkage purity exceeding 97-99% across all polyubiquitin chain products.

This high level of purity minimizes experimental variability and enables more accurate interpretation of ubiquitin-dependent biological processes.

Trilogie Polyubiquitin Chain Product
K6 Di K6 Tetra K11 Di K11 Tetra K48 Di K48 Tetra K63 Di K63 Tetra
Linkage Type Met1 0.06 0.02 0.11 0.20 0.03 0.03 0.01 0.97
K6 99.6 98.9 0.18 0.18 0.11 0.19 0.18 0.49
K11 0.08 0.16 99.4 97.6 0.01 0.21 0.01 0.01
K27 0.03 0.01 0.08 0.06 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.01
K29 0.01 0.01 0.11 0.04 0.02 0.03 0.01 0.01
K33 0.01 0.02 0.13 1.72 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.01
K48 0.19 0.68 0.02 0.11 99.8 99.2 0.06 0.01
K63 0.05 0.21 0.01 0.07 0.02 0.28 99.4 98.5

Available Defined Polyubiquitin Chain Products

ProductProduct CodePriceDetails
K48-linked Di-UbiquitinTUB-056From $200.00Show details
K48-linked Tetra-UbiquitinTUB-057From $200.00Show details
K63-linked Di-UbiquitinTUB-058From $200.00Show details
K63-linked Tetra-UbiquitinTUB-059From $200.00Show details
K6-linked Di-UbiquitinTUB-046From $200.00Show details
K11-linked Di-UbiquitinTUB-048From $200.00Show details
K6-linked Tetra-UbiquitinTUB-047From $200.00Show details
K11-linked Tetra-UbiquitinTUB-049From $200.00Show details
K29-linked Di-UbiquitinTUB-052From $200.00Show details
K29-linked Tetra-UbiquitinTUB-053From $200.00Show details
K33-linked Tetra-UbiquitinTUB-055From $200.00Show details
K33-linked Di-UbiquitinTUB-054From $200.00Show details
Met1-linked (Linear) Tetra-UbiquitinTUB-045From $200.00Show details
Don’t see the chain length or linkage you need? Alternative chain lengths and linkage formats are available upon request.

Applications

Ubiquitin Signaling Research

Study how specific ubiquitin chain linkages regulate cellular signaling, protein interactions, and pathway activation.

Protein Degradation and Proteasome Research

Use K48- and K11-linked chains to investigate canonical and cell-cycle-associated proteasomal degradation pathways.

DNA Damage Repair, Mitophagy, and Autophagy Studies

Apply K6- and K63-linked chains to interrogate DNA repair, mitochondrial quality control, mitophagy, and autophagy-related ubiquitin signaling.

Lysosomal Targeting and Cellular Stress Response Research

Investigate K29-linked ubiquitin signaling pathways involved in lysosomal trafficking, stress response, and noncanonical ubiquitin biology.

Enzyme Specificity Assays

Evaluate linkage-specific activity of E3 ligases, deubiquitinases (DUBs), ubiquitin-binding domains, and other ubiquitin pathway enzymes.

Drug Discovery and Assay Development

Support biochemical screening, target validation, and mechanistic studies in ubiquitin pathway-focused therapeutic research.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are defined polyubiquitin chains?

Defined polyubiquitin chains are ubiquitin polymers manufactured with a specific linkage type and chain length, allowing researchers to study individual ubiquitin signals in a controlled and reproducible way.

Different ubiquitin linkages are associated with different biological outcomes, including proteasomal degradation, DNA repair, immune signaling, autophagy, mitophagy, lysosomal targeting, and protein trafficking.

Trilogie offers well-characterized di-ubiquitin and tetra-ubiquitin products, with other chain lengths available upon request.

No. These products are for research use only and are not approved for diagnostic or therapeutic use.