HGNC Approved Gene Symbol: USP3
Cytogenetic location: 15q22.31 Genomic coordinates (GRCh38) : 15:63,504,593-63,594,633 (from NCBI)
Conjugation to the small eukaryotic protein ubiquitin (191339) can functionally modify or target proteins for degradation by the proteasome. Removal of the ubiquitin modification, or deubiquitination, is performed by ubiquitin-specific proteases such as USP3 (summary by Sloper-Mould et al., 1999).
By searching an EST database for USP-like sequences and screening a testis cDNA library, Sloper-Mould et al. (1999) identified a cDNA encoding a deduced 521-amino acid protein termed USP3. USP3 contains 2 highly conserved sequence regions, the Cys- and His-boxes. Southern blot analysis showed that USP3 is a single-copy gene. Northern blot analysis detected expression of a major 2.5- and a minor 5.8-kb USP3 transcript in all tissues examined, with strongest expression in pancreas. Functional analysis demonstrated that USP3 cleaves ubiquitin in vitro and, like USP4 (603486), efficiently does so at ubiquitin-proline bonds.
By FISH, Sloper-Mould et al. (1999) mapped the USP3 gene to 15q22.3.
Sloper-Mould, K. E., Eyre, H. J., Wang, X.-W., Sutherland, G. R., Baker, R. T. Characterization and chromosomal localization of USP3, a novel human ubiquitin-specific protease. J. Biol. Chem. 274: 26878-26884, 1999. [PubMed: 10480896] [Full Text: https://doi.org/10.1074/jbc.274.38.26878]