Overview:

USP2 (Ubiquitin carboxyl-terminal hydrolase 2) is a member of the peptidase C19 superfamily and is a ubiquitin-specific protease that is essential for TNF-alpha (tumor necrosis factor alpha) -induced NF-kB (nuclear factor kB) signaling. The enzyme deubiquitinates polyubiquitinated target proteins like fatty acid synthase, murine double minute 2 (MDM2), MDM4/MDMX and cyclin D1. USP2 plays a role in G1/S cell-cycle progression in normal and cancer cells as it is a specific deubiquitinase for cyclin D1 (1). It is also involved in the regulation of the p53 pathway by targeting Mdm2, which is critical for maintaining genome integrity (2).

Gene Aliases:

UBP41

Genbank Number:

NM_004205

References:

1. Shan, J. et al: Suppression of cancer cell growth by promoting cyclin D1 degradation. Mol. Cell 36:469-476, 2009.

2. Stevenson, L. F. et al: The deubiquitinating enzyme USP2a regulates the p53 pathway by targeting Mdm2. EMBO journal 26(4): 976-986, 2007