The proteasome consists of two subunits, and the capacity of the proteasome to degrade protein depends crucially on the interaction between these two subunits. This interaction is affected by a wide range of factors including metabolites, such as ATP, and proteasome-associated proteins such as Ecm29. Ecm29 stabilises the interaction between the two subunits.

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2: Characterization of mammalian Ecm29, a 26 S proteasome-associated protein that localizes to the nucleus and membrane vesicles. Gorbea C, Goellner GM, Teter K, Holmes RK, Rechsteiner M; J Biol Chem. 2004;279:54849-54861. PMID:15496406

3: Stability of the proteasome can be regulated allosterically through engagement of its proteolytic active sites. Kleijnen MF, Roelofs J, Park S, Hathaway NA, Glickman M, King RW, Finley D; Nat Struct Mol Biol. 2007;14:1180-1188. PMID:18026118