Degradation in endoplasmic reticulum proteins, also designated Derlins or DERtrins, are crucial for the degradation of misfolded endoplasmic reticulum (ER) luminal proteins. Derlin proteins are multi-pass membrane proteins localizing to the ER. Derlins are involved in transferring misfolded proteins from the ER to the cytosol, where the misfolded proteins are destroyed in an ubiquitin-dependent manner by the proteasome. In the case of cytomegalovirus infection, Derlin-1, as opposed to Derlins-2 and -3, is involved in the export of MHC class I heavy chains from the ER via its interaction with the viral protein US11. Derlins may also be important for cell proliferation.
