Ubiquitinating enzymes (UBEs) catalyze protein ubiquitination, a reversible process countered by deubiquitinating enzyme (DUB) action (1,2). Five DUB subfamilies are recognized, including the USP, UCH, OTU, MJD, and JAMM enzymes. USP10 possesses amino acid sequences that match the consensus cysteine and histidine boxes representative of the USP family of deubiquitinating enzymes. At the posttranslational level, USP10 appears to be regulated through both protein-protein interactions and phosphorylation. Indeed, interaction of USP10 with Ras-GAP SH3 domain binding protein (G3BP) has been found to inhibit its ability to catalyze the disassembly of ubiquitin chains (3). Furthermore, ATM-mediated phosphorylation of USP10 at Thr42 and Ser337 was shown to promote USP10 stabilization and redistribution from the cytoplasm to the nucleus, where it functions in p53 deubiquitination, stabilization, and activation in response to genotoxic stress (4). Recently, it was shown that USP10 works in concert with USP13 and Vps34 complexes. USP10, along with USP13, appears to deubiquitinate Vps34 complexes to regulate the levels of this class III PI3K. Beclin-1, another component of these complexes, functions to regulate the stability of USP13, which can deubiquitinate and stabilize the levels of USP10. Therefore, Beclin-1, can indirectly regulate p53 stability by controlling the DUB activity of USP10 (5). USP10 also functions in the endosomal compartment, where it has been shown to deubiquitinate CFTR in order to enhance its endocytic recycling and cell surface expression (6,7). |