Catalysis of the reaction: E1 + ubiquitin + ATP--> E1-ubiquitin + AMP + PPi, where the E1-ubiquitin linkage is a thioester bond between the C-terminal glycine of Ub and a sulfhydryl side group of an E1 cysteine residue. This is the first step in a cascade of reactions in which ubiquitin is ultimately added to a protein substrate. [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ubiquitin-activating_enzyme GOC:BioGRID ]