USP2 (Ubiquitin Specific Protease 2) is a cysteine protease over-expressed in prostate cancer, is androgen-regulated and interacts with and prolongs the half-life of fatty acid synthase (FAS). FAS stabilization is associated with the malignancy of a subset of aggressive prostate cancers. Mdm2 is also a substrate for USP2 indicating that the enzyme may regulate p53-dependent pathways. The in vivo and in vitro oncogenic properties of USP2 are also linked to its deubiquitinating activity. It has been hypothesized that USP2 might stabilize short-lived proteins that accumulate and may act as regulators or effectors in the induction of apoptosis. This recombinant protein contains residues 259-605 representing the catalytic domain (CD) of USP2. Accession # NP_004196.