USP48 Governs Cell Cycle Progression by Regulating the Protein Level of Aurora B

Deubiquitinating enzymes play key roles in the precise modulation of Aurora B—an essential cell cycle regulator. The expression of Aurora B increases before the onset of mitosis and decreases during mitotic exit; an imbalance in these levels has a severe impact on the fate of the cell cycle. Dysregulation of Aurora B can lead to aberrant chromosomal segregation and accumulation of errors during mitosis, eventually resulting in cytokinesis failure. Thus, it is essential to identify the precise regulatory mechanisms that modulate Aurora B levels during the cell division cycle. Using a deubiquitinase knockout strategy, we identified USP48 as an important candidate that can regulate Aurora B protein levels during the normal cell cycle. Here, we report that USP48 interacts with and stabilizes the Aurora B protein. Furthermore, we showed that the deubiquitinating activity of USP48 helps to maintain the steady-state levels of Aurora B protein by regulating its half-life. Finally, USP48 knockout resulted in delayed progression of cell cycle due to accumulation of mitotic defects and ultimately cytokinesis failure, suggesting the role of USP48 in cell cycle regulation.