USP21: Ubiquitin Specific Peptidase 21
A deubiquitinating enzyme involved in cell cycle regulation, immune signaling, and cancer.
Gene Information Card
| Symbol | USP21 |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Ubiquitin Specific Peptidase 21 |
| Gene Type | Protein coding |
| Chromosomal Location | 1q23.3 |
| NCBI Gene ID | 27005 ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/27005 |
| Ensembl ID | ENSG00000143278 |
| UniProt ID | Q9UJX3 |
| OMIM ID | 617470 |
| HGNC ID | 12620 |
| Aliases | USP23, deubiquitinating enzyme 21 |
Description
USP21 (Ubiquitin Specific Peptidase 21) is a deubiquitinating enzyme (DUB) that removes ubiquitin from target proteins, regulating their stability, localization, and activity. It plays roles in cell cycle progression, DNA damage response, innate immune signaling, and apoptosis. USP21 is implicated in several cancers and inflammatory conditions.
Disease Associations
| Disease category | Pathophysiological mechanism | Genomic evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Hepatocellular carcinoma | USP21 overexpression promotes deubiquitination and stabilization of oncoproteins (e.g., β-catenin), enhancing proliferation. | PMID: 28965875 |
| Colorectal cancer | USP21 deubiquitinates and stabilizes MYC, driving tumor growth. | PMID: 31073040 |
| Inflammatory bowel disease | USP21 negatively regulates NF-κB signaling by deubiquitinating TRAF3, reducing inflammation. | PMID: 27559042 |
| Breast cancer | USP21 overexpression correlates with poor prognosis; promotes cell migration via deubiquitination of SNAI1. | PMID: 31570799 |
Expression Profile
Tissue Expression
| Tissue | nTPM | level |
|---|---|---|
| Testis | 12.3 | Medium |
| Liver | 8.7 | Medium |
| Kidney | 6.5 | Low |
| Brain | 4.2 | Low |
| Heart | 3.1 | Low |
Cell Line Expression
| Cell Line | nTPM | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| HepG2 (liver cancer) | 14.5 | High expression |
| HEK293 (embryonic kidney) | 9.8 | Moderate expression |
| MCF7 (breast cancer) | 7.2 | Moderate expression |
| A549 (lung cancer) | 5.6 | Low expression |
Data source：Human Protein Atlas（proteinatlas.org）
Mutations & Variants
Hotspot Mutations
| Variant | Type | Frequency | Functional Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| c.511C>T (p.Arg171Trp) | Missense | <0.01% | Unknown; located in catalytic domain |
| c.1024G>A (p.Glu342Lys) | Missense | <0.01% | Unknown; may affect substrate binding |
| c.1345_1346insA (p.Thr449Asnfs*5) | Frameshift | <0.01% | Predicted loss of function |
Mutation functional classification
Loss of Function (LOF)
Frameshift mutations (e.g., p.Thr449Asnfs*5) likely result in truncated, non-functional protein.
Gain of Function (GOF)
Not well characterized; overexpression in cancer suggests potential gain-of-function via increased deubiquitinase activity.
Dominant Negative (DN)
No known dominant-negative mutations reported.
View complete mutation data：
Gene Ontology (GO)
| • cysteine-type deubiquitinase activity | • ubiquitin-specific protease activity |
| • protein deubiquitination | • cell cycle regulation |
| • NF-κB signaling | • apoptotic process |
| • DNA repair |
Pathways
• Deubiquitination
• NF-κB signaling
• Wnt/β-catenin signaling
• p53 pathway
Protein Summary
USP21 is a 561-amino acid cysteine protease belonging to the ubiquitin-specific protease (USP) family. It contains a conserved catalytic domain (Cys-His-Asp triad) and a ubiquitin-binding domain. The enzyme removes ubiquitin chains from specific substrates, thereby preventing their proteasomal degradation. USP21 is localized to the cytoplasm and nucleus, and its activity is regulated by phosphorylation and protein-protein interactions.
Related Services
Related Products
| Product name | Cat.No. | Species | Gene ID | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USP21 Knockout HEK293 Cell Line | EDJ-KQ2970 | Human | 27005 | Details Get a Quote |
| USP21 Knockout A-549 Cell Line | EDJ-KQ24131 | Human | 27005 | Details Get a Quote |
| USP21 Knockout HCT 116 Cell Line | EDJ-KQ24132 | Human | 27005 | Details Get a Quote |
| USP21 Knockout HeLa Cell Line | EDJ-KQ24133 | Human | 27005 | Details Get a Quote |
