echinoderm microtubule associated protein like 1, Echinoderm microtubule-associated protein-like 1, ELP79, EMAL1_HUMAN, EMAP, EMAP-1, EMAPL, Eml1, FLJ45033, HuEMAP, HuEMAP-1.
COP1 is an E3 ubiquitin ligase protein that mediates ubiquitination and degradation of target proteins such as c-Jun and p53. It is a component of the DCX DET1-COP1 ubiquitin ligase complex which consists of RBX1, DET1, DDB1, CUL4A and COP1. Localizing to the cytoplasm and to the nucleus, COP1 is primarily expressed in testis, placenta, heart and skeletal muscle. COP1 is a potent inhibitor of p53-dependent transcription and apoptosis but, when phosphorylated by Atm (ataxia telangiectasia mutated) in response to DNA damage, the COP1-p53 complex is disrupted and p53 is allowed to exert its pro-apoptotic properties. In ovarian and breast cancers, COP1 is overexpressed, suggesting a role for COP1 in tumorigenesis.
