A 60-year-old female patient with a history of multiple myeloma, a cancer characterized by abnormal plasma cells, is being treated with bortezomib, a drug that inhibits the 26S proteasome. After starting treatment, she experiences an accumulation of misfolded proteins in her cells, leading to improved control of her cancer but also side effects such as neuropathy. The physician explains that the drug targets a specific cellular process involved in protein degradation. Question: What is the primary role of the 26S proteasome, which is inhibited by bortezomib in this patient?
