FBXO42 facilitates Notch signaling activation and global chromatin relaxation by promoting K63-linked polyubiquitination of RBPJ

Dysregulation of the Notch-RBPJ signaling pathway has been found associated with various human diseases including cancers; however, precisely how this key signaling pathway is fine-tuned via its interactors and modifications is still largely unknown. In this study, using a proteomic approach, we identified FBXO42 as a novel RBPJ interactor. FBXO42 promotes RBPJ polyubiquitination on lysine (K) 175 via K63 linkage, which enhances the association of RBPJ with chromatin remodeling complexes and induces a global chromatin relaxation. Genetically depleting FBXO42 or pharmacologically targeting its E3 ligase activity attenuates the Notch signaling-related leukemia development in vivo. Taken together, our findings not only revealed FBXO42 as a critical regulator of the Notch pathway by modulating RBPJ-dependent global chromatin landscape changes, but also provide insights into the therapeutic intervention of the Notch pathway for leukemia treatment. DNA binding capacity of transcription factor RBPJ was analyzed by Cut&tag-seq and chromatin status was analyzed by ATAC-seq.