The study investigated the molecular mechanisms of TGF-β-induced activation of TAK1. It found that TGF-β causes lysine-63 linked polyubiquitylation of TAK1, activating it independently of TGF-β receptor kinase activity. The TGF-β type I receptor engages TRAF6, an E3 ubiquitin ligase, to ubiquitylate and activate TAK1 in a kinase-independent manner. This suggests TGF-β activates TAK1 by promoting lysine-63 linked polyubiquitylation through the interaction between its type I receptor and TRAF6.