Ubiquitin Specific Peptidase 46 (USP46)

Modification of cellular proteins by ubiquitin is an essential regulatory mechanism controlled by the coordinated action of multiple ubiquitin-conjugating and deubiquitinating enzymes. USP46 belongs to a large family of cysteine proteases that function as deubiquitinating enzymes.

Usp46 was expressed in a number of brain regions in the mouse, including olfactory bulb, cingulum bundle, amygdala, hippocampus, and cerebellum. The catalytic domain of USP46 contains the QQD box characteristic of USP enzymes and a cys-his-asp catalytic triad. Northern blot analysis detected variable expression of a 4.4-kb USP46 transcript. Expression was highest in heart, followed by pancreas, skeletal muscle, placenta, brain, testis, and liver.