Recognition and delivery of ERAD substrates to the proteasome and alternative paths for cell survival.

Endoplasmic reticulum-associated protein degradation (ERAD) is a protein quality control mechanism that minimizes the detrimental effects of protein misfolding in the secretory pathway. Molecular chaperones and ER lumenal lectins are essential components of this process because they maintain the solubility of unfolded proteins and can target ERAD substrates to the cytoplasmic proteasome. Other factors are likely required to aid in the selection of ERAD substrates, and distinct proteinaceous machineries are required for substrate retrotranslocation/dislocation from the ER and proteasome targeting. When the capacity of the ERAD machinery is exceeded or compromised, multiple degradative routes can be enlisted to prevent the detrimental consequences of ERAD substrate accumulation, which include cell death and disease.