MHC class I molecules are preferentially ubiquitinated on endoplasmic reticulum luminal residues during HRD1 ubiquitin E3 ligase-mediated dislocation.

Misfolded MHC class I heavy chains (MHC I HCs) are targeted for endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-associated degradation (ERAD) by the ubiquitin E3 ligase HRD1, and E2 ubiquitin conjugating enzyme UBE2J1, and represent one of the few known endogenous ERAD substrates. The mechanism by which misfolded proteins are dislocated across the ER membrane into the cytosol is unclear. Here, we investigate the requirements for MHC I ubiquitination and degradation and show that endogenous misfolded MHC I HCs are recognized in the ER lumen by EDEM1 in a glycan-dependent manner and targeted to the core SEL1L/HRD1/UBE2J1 complex. A soluble MHC I HC lacking its transmembrane domain and cytosolic tail uses the same ERAD components and is degraded as efficiently as wild-type MHC I. Unexpectedly, HRD1-dependent polyubiquitination is preferentially targeted to the ER luminal domain of full-length MHC I HCs, despite the presence of an exposed cytosolic C-terminal tail. MHC I luminal domain ubiquitination occurs before p97 ATPase-mediated extraction from the ER membrane and can be targeted to nonlysine, as well as lysine, residues. A subset of integral membrane proteins, therefore, requires an early dislocation event to expose part of their luminal domain to the cytosol, before HRD1-mediated polyubiquitination and dislocation.