The Evolution and Functional Diversification of the Deubiquitinating Enzyme Superfamily

Ubiquitin and ubiquitin-like molecules are attached to and removed from cellular proteins in a dynamic and highly regulated manner. Deubiquitinating enzymes are critical to this process, and the genetic catalogue of deubiquitinating enzymes expanded greatly over the course of evolution. Extensive functional redundancy has been noted among the 93 members of the human deubiquitinating enzyme (DUB) superfamily. This is especially true of genes that were generated by duplication (termed paralogs) as they often retain considerable sequence similarity. Because complete redundancy in systems should be eliminated by selective pressure, we theorized that many overlapping DUBs must have significant and unique spatiotemporal roles that can be evaluated in an evolutionary context. We have determined the evolutionary history of the entire class of deubiquitinating enzymes, including the sequence and means of duplication for all paralogous pairs. To establish their uniqueness, we have investigated cell-type specificity in developmental and adult contexts, and have investigated the coemergence of substrates from the same duplication events. Our analysis has revealed examples of DUB gene subfunctionalization, neofunctionalization, and nonfunctionalization.