Evolution of ubiquitin-specific proteases

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Ubiquitin is a small protein that is attached to other cellular proteins. In many cases further ubiquitin molecules are added to the first to form chains of various topologies - these chains can affect the stability or function of the proteins to which they are attached. A mammalian cell contains hundreds of different enzymes that direct the attachment of ubiquitin and assembly of chains, and in the order of one hundred cell that can edit or remove the chains ("deubiquitinating enzymes", or DUBs). In simpler organisms such as yeast there are far fewer DUBs, and it may be that during evolution DUB genes have been duplicated and have taken on new functions. Despite their involvement in critical regulatory pathways the evolution of DUBs has not been well studied.