A short evolutionary journey across the HERC Ubiquitin Ligases

HECT ubiquitin ligases are key components of the eukaryotic ubiquitinproteasome system controlling different cellular physiological aspects as well as the genesis of several human diseases. Among the HECT family, the HERC subfamily members are characterized by having one or more RCC1-like domains, a C-terminal HECT domain and the molecular mass ranging approximately from 120 kDa to 500 kDa. Due to their large size , some of them are refractory to functional characterization. We have recently identified and functionally characterized a novel large HECT member in Dictyostelium discoideum that, in many aspects, exhibits structural similarities with the mammalian large HERC1. In the present minireview , we shortly summarize and revise the current phylogenetic history of HERC proteins among the different living organisms