Background of the antigen
OTUB1 is a 271 amino acid protein that contains one OTU (ovarian tumor) domain and belongs to the OTU family of predicted cysteine proteases. Expressed as two isoforms (one of which is present throughout the body and the other of which is present only in lymphoid tissues), OTUB1 functions as a hydrolase that can remove ubiquitin residues from target proteins, thereby preventing protein degradation and playing an important role in protein turnover. OTUB1 interacts with GRAIL and, via this interaction, plays a role in the regulation and the induction of T-cell anergy, a phenomenon that occurs when T-cells are rendered unresponsive to their cognate antigens. Due to its interaction with GRAIL, OTUB1 is an important regulator of immune responses in secondary lymphoid organs.
