Function: Deubiquitinating enzyme that removes conjugated ubiquitin from specific proteins to regulate different cellular processes. Regulates cell proliferation by deubiquitinating and inhibiting RCE1 thereby controlling the small GTPases NRAS and HRAS localization and activation. In parallel, mediates deubiquitination of CDC25A, preventing CDC25A degradation by the proteasome during the G1/S and G2/M phases promoting cell-cycle progression. Also regulates cell proliferation and apoptosis through deubiquitination of SUDS3 a regulator of histone deacetylation. Through activation of the Rho family GTPases RAC1A, CDC42 and RHOA, regulates cell migration. Through the cleavage of 'Lys-48'- and 'Lys-63'-linked polyubiquitin chains of the cytoplasmic innate immune receptors DDX58 and IFIH1 stimulates the cellular response to viral infection. Ref.1 Ref.4 Ref.5 Ref.7 Ref.8 Ref.9 Ref.10 Ref.11 Ref.12
Catalytic activity: Thiol-dependent hydrolysis of ester, thioester, amide, peptide and isopeptide bonds formed by the C-terminal Gly of ubiquitin (a 76-residue protein attached to proteins as an intracellular targeting signal). Ref.1 Ref.8 Ref.10
Subunit structure: Interacts with SUDS3; the interaction is direct. Ref.11
Subcellular location: Nucleus. Endoplasmic reticulum Ref.5 Ref.11.
Tissue specificity: Broadly expressed. Ref.1
Induction: Up-regulated by IL4/interleukin-4, IL6/interleukin-6 and chemokines including CXCL8 and CXCL12 (at protein level). Up-regulated during the G1/S transition of the cell cycle. Ref.1 Ref.7 Ref.12
Miscellaneous: Overexpressed in a subset of human breast cancers, overexpression leading to an abnormally high level of CDC25A, which arrests cells through replication stress or premature mitosis, the latter occurring when CDK1 is activated inappropriately (Ref.10).
Sequence similarities: Belongs to the peptidase C19 family. USP17 subfamily.
Caution: The RS447 megasatellite DNA is a highly polymorphic conserved tandem repetitive sequence which contains a copy of the USP17 gene. It is present with an interindividual variation in copy number, ranging from 20 to 103, and can be found in the genome both on chromosome 4 and chromosome 8. USP17 is also frequently named DUB3 in the literature. The high similarity between the UPS17-like genes makes impossible to clearly assign data to one of the genes of the family. Oligonucleotides designed in RNAi experiments are for instance not specific of a given UPS17-like gene.
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