The N-end rule relates the
in vivo
half-life of a protein to the identity of its N-terminal residue. Primary destabilizing N-terminal residues (Nd
p
) are recognized directly by the targeting machinery. The recognition of secondary destabilizing N-terminal residues (Nd
s
) is preceded by conjugation of an Nd
p
residue to Nd
s
of a polypeptide substrate. In eukaryotes,
ATE1
-encoded arginyl-transferases (R
D,E,C*
-transferases) conjugate Arg (R), an Nd
p
residue, to Nd
s
residues Asp (D), Glu (E), or oxidized Cys residue (C*). Ubiquitin ligases recognize the N-terminal Arg of a substrate and target the (ubiquitylated) substrate to the proteasome. In prokaryotes such as
Escherichia coli
, Nd
p
residues Leu (L) or Phe (F) are conjugated, by the
aat
-encoded Leu/Phe-transferase (L/F
K,R
-transferase), to N-terminal Arg or Lys, which are Nd
s
in prokaryotes but Nd
p
in eukaryotes. In prokaryotes, substrates bearing the Nd
p
residues Leu, Phe, Trp, or Tyr are degraded by the proteasome-like ClpAP protease. Despite enzymological similarities between eukaryotic R
D,E,C*
-transferases and prokaryotic L/F
K,R
-transferases, there is no significant sequelogy (sequence similarity) between them. We identified an aminoacyl-transferase, termed Bpt, in the human pathogen
Vibrio vulnificus
. Although it is a sequelog of eukaryotic R
D,E,C*
-transferases, this prokaryotic transferase exhibits a “hybrid” specificity, conjugating Nd
p
Leu to Nd
s
Asp or Glu. Another aminoacyl-transferase, termed ATEL1, of the eukaryotic pathogen
Plasmodium falciparum
, is a sequelog of prokaryotic L/F
K,R
-transferases (Aat), but has the specificity of eukaryotic R
D,E,C*
-transferases (ATE1). Phylogenetic analysis suggests that the substrate specificity of R-transferases arose by two distinct routes during the evolution of eukaryotes.