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Protein / target

Sequestosome-1

Encoded bySQSTM1Q13501Homo sapiensSwiss-Prot
Small-molecule tractable
Druggability
Structure with Ligand
2
Research papers

Protein at a glance

Biological role

K63-linked polyubiquitin modification-dependent protein binding

Strongest disease association

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Via encoding gene SQSTM1 · Genetic evidence · score 0.92

Research activity

Emerging research

2 papers · latest 2025

Derived from structured UniProt, Open Targets and literature data on this page.

Protein profile

UniProt 2026_02

Canonical identity and biological annotation from UniProt.

Function overview

Molecular adapter required for selective macroautophagy (aggrephagy) by acting as a bridge between polyubiquitinated proteins and autophagosomes.

View complete UniProt function annotation

Molecular adapter required for selective macroautophagy (aggrephagy) by acting as a bridge between polyubiquitinated proteins and autophagosomes (PubMed:15340068, PubMed:15953362, PubMed:16286508, PubMed:17580304, PubMed:20168092, PubMed:22017874, PubMed:22622177, PubMed:24128730, PubMed:28404643, PubMed:29343546, PubMed:29507397, PubMed:31857589, PubMed:33509017, PubMed:34471133, PubMed:34893540, PubMed:35831301, PubMed:37306101, PubMed:37802024, PubMed:40542578). Promotes the recruitment of ubiquitinated cargo proteins to autophagosomes via multiple domains that bridge proteins and organelles in different steps (PubMed:16286508, PubMed:20168092, PubMed:22622177, PubMed:24128730, PubMed:28404643, PubMed:29343546, PubMed:29507397, PubMed:34893540, PubMed:37802024). SQSTM1 first mediates the assembly and removal of ubiquitinated proteins by undergoing liquid-liquid phase separation upon binding to ubiquitinated proteins via its UBA domain, leading to the formation of insoluble cytoplasmic inclusions, known as p62 bodies (PubMed:15911346, PubMed:20168092, PubMed:22017874, PubMed:24128730, PubMed:29343546, PubMed:29507397, PubMed:31857589, PubMed:37802024). SQSTM1 then interacts with ATG8 family proteins on autophagosomes via its LIR motif, leading to p62 body recruitment to autophagosomes, followed by autophagic clearance of ubiquitinated proteins (PubMed:16286508, PubMed:17580304, PubMed:20168092, PubMed:22622177, PubMed:24128730, PubMed:28404643, PubMed:37802024). SQSTM1 is itself degraded along with its ubiquitinated cargos (PubMed:16286508, PubMed:17580304, PubMed:37802024). Also required to recruit ubiquitinated proteins to PML bodies in the nucleus (PubMed:20168092). Also involved in autophagy of peroxisomes (pexophagy) in response to reactive oxygen species (ROS) by acting as a bridge between ubiquitinated PEX5 receptor and autophagosomes (PubMed:26344566). Acts as an activator of the NFE2L2/NRF2 pathway via interaction with KEAP1: interaction inactivates the BCR(KEAP1) complex by sequestering the complex in inclusion bodies, promoting nuclear accumulation of NFE2L2/NRF2 and subsequent expression of cytoprotective genes (PubMed:20452972, PubMed:28380357, PubMed:33393215, PubMed:37306101). Promotes relocalization of 'Lys-63'-linked ubiquitinated STING1 to autophagosomes (PubMed:29496741). Involved in endosome organization by retaining vesicles in the perinuclear cloud: following ubiquitination by RNF26, attracts specific vesicle-associated adapters, forming a molecular bridge that restrains cognate vesicles in the perinuclear region and organizes the endosomal pathway for efficient cargo transport (PubMed:27368102, PubMed:33472082). Sequesters tensin TNS2 into cytoplasmic puncta, promoting TNS2 ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation (PubMed:25101860). May regulate the activation of NFKB1 by TNF, nerve growth factor (NGF) and interleukin-1 (PubMed:10356400, PubMed:10747026, PubMed:11244088, PubMed:12471037, PubMed:16079148, PubMed:19931284). May play a role in titin/TTN downstream signaling in muscle cells (PubMed:15802564). Adapter that mediates the interaction between TRAF6 and CYLD (By similarity)

Subcellular location

Cytoplasmic vesicle, autophagosomePreautophagosomal structureCytoplasm, cytosolNucleus, PML bodyLate endosomeLysosomeNucleusEndoplasmic reticulumCytoplasm, myofibril, sarcomere
Domains and Gene Ontology detail (78)

Domains & features

PB1UBA

Gene Ontology

  • Caggresome
  • Camphisome
  • Cautolysosome
  • Cautophagosome
  • Ccytoplasm
  • Ccytosol
  • Cendoplasmic reticulum
  • Cextracellular exosome
  • Cglutamatergic synapse
  • Cinclusion body
  • Cintracellular membraneless organelle
  • Clate endosome

440 aa · 48 kDa · 2 isoforms

Biological roles

What this protein does, drawn together from its UniProt function, Gene Ontology terms and Reactome pathways.

Immune signallingUniProt · GOApoptosis & cell deathGO
View supporting evidence

Immune signalling

  • ·Molecular adapter required for selective macroautophagy (aggrephagy) by acting as a brid…
  • ·brown fat cell proliferation

Apoptosis & cell death

  • ·apoptotic process
  • ·positive regulation of apoptotic process

Concepts derived from UniProt GO Reactome — each badge above shows which sources supported that role.

Translational evidence

Open Targets 26

Why this target matters therapeutically, strongest evidence first. Disease associations are gene-level (via the gene that encodes this protein) and open into the full confidence synthesis; the development universe, tractability and safety annotations are target-level, from Open Targets.

Strongest disease associations · via encoding gene SQSTM1

Gene-level evidence surfaced through the gene SQSTM1that encodes this protein — not a direct protein–disease relationship. Ranked by Forefront's causal-directness weighting, so genetically- and clinically-evidenced diseases lead over ones that merely share the literature.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
0.93Well supported

Genetic evidence dominant · Open Targets 0.80

bone Paget's disease
0.89Well supported

Genetic evidence dominant · Open Targets 0.77

Osteosarcoma
0.67Moderately supported

Genetic literature evidence dominant · Open Targets 0.50

Neoplasms
0.40Preliminary

Pathway evidence dominant · Open Targets 0.49 · no direct causal or clinical evidence

Neurodegenerative Diseases
0.32Preliminary

Pathway evidence dominant · Open Targets 0.45 · no direct causal or clinical evidence

View evidence synthesis (5)
Amyotrophic Lateral SclerosisWell supported
0.93
agreement 0.791.00
Genetic86%Literature14%Genetic literaturedup

Open Targets aggregate 0.80 · 2 independent evidence families · 1 not counted as duplicate

bone Paget's diseaseWell supported
0.89
agreement 0.771.00
Genetic76%Animal model20%Literature4%Genetic literaturedup

Open Targets aggregate 0.77 · 3 independent evidence families · 1 not counted as duplicate

OsteosarcomaModerately supported
0.67
agreement 0.520.82
Genetic literature87%Literature13%

Open Targets aggregate 0.50 · 2 independent evidence families

NeoplasmsPreliminary
0.40
agreement 0.230.58
Pathway68%Literature32%

Open Targets aggregate 0.49 · 2 independent evidence families · no direct causal or clinical evidence

Neurodegenerative DiseasesPreliminary
0.32
agreement 0.140.50
Pathway86%Literature14%

Open Targets aggregate 0.45 · 2 independent evidence families · no direct causal or clinical evidence

The evidence agreement range shows how closely the independent evidence families agree — it is not a statistical confidence interval, and nothing here is fitted to outcome data. Derived from Open Targets evidence types under Forefront weighting; the per-type scores above show the calculation.

Show all associations
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis0.80
bone Paget's disease0.77
Osteosarcoma0.50
Neoplasms0.49
Neurodegenerative Diseases0.45

Tractability

Small moleculesEmerging

Feasibility evidence (structure with ligand and high-quality ligand) — no clinical-stage drug of this modality recorded.

Protein degradersEmerging

Feasibility evidence (uniprot ubiquitination and database ubiquitination) — no clinical-stage drug of this modality recorded.

View underlying tractability evidence (6)
SM · Structure with LigandSM · High-Quality LigandPR · UniProt UbiquitinationPR · Database UbiquitinationPR · Half-life DataPR · Small Molecule Binder

Raw Open Targets tractability assessment buckets, by modality.

Research activity

2 papers · to 2025

Papers linked directly to this protein. This is the protein's own literature — descriptor-derived papers are kept separate below.

Most cited

Recent

Europe PMC papers linked directly to this protein.