Tandem ubiquitin binding entities or TUBE technology is based on the ability to harness the strength of multiple UBDs (Ubiquitin Binding Domains), circumventing the need for immunoprecipitation of overexpressed epitope-tagged ubiquitin or the use of ubiquitin antibodies. Antibody based ubiquitin proteomics is expensive for large scale studies, and, moreover, ubiquitin antibodies sold by most suppliers are notoriously non-selective, leading to artifacts.

LifeSensors has developed technology to specifically isolate polyubiquitylated proteins from cell lysates and tissues. TUBEs are tandem ubiquitin binding domains (UBDs) that bind poly-ubiquitin with Kds in the nanomolar range. TUBEs have also been demonstrated to protect ubiquitylated proteins from both deubiquitylation and proteasome-mediated degradation, even in the absence of inhibitors normally required to block such activities.