Ubiquitin Specific Peptidase 32 (USP32)

The deduced 828-amino acid protein shares similarity with the Tre oncogene. RT-PCR detected USP32 expression in all normal tissues tested, including lung, testis, small intestine, breast, liver, and placenta. The deduced 1,604-amino acid protein contains 2 calcium-binding EF-hand domains, a myristoylation site, and a ubiquitin-specific protease domain. RT-PCR analysis detected expression of USP32 in all tissues tested except ovary, with highest expression in testis. The chimeric TRE2 gene exists only in the hominoid lineage of primates and arose as recently as 21 to 33 million years ago, after proliferation of the TBC1D3 segmental duplication. In contrast to the broad expression patterns of USP32 and TBC1D3, expression of TRE2 is testis-specific, a pattern proposed for genes implicated in the emergence of reproductive barriers.