Gp78 interacts with and ubiquitinates SOD1. The amounts of gp78 co-immunoprecipitated were higher in cells co-transfected with mutant SOD1s than in that co-transfected with wild-type SOD1, suggesting stronger interactions between endogenous gp78 and mutant SOD1.
Gp78 specifically stimulates the degradation of SOD1, (SOD1WT, SOD1G85R, SOD1G93A). As degradation of SOD1 could be inhibited by MG132 (a proteasome inhibitor) the data suggested that gp78-mediated degradation of SOD1 is proteasome-dependent.