The plot thickens: OTULIN regulation in cell death.

We recently demonstrated that post-translational modifications of the OTU deubiquitinase with linear linkage specificity (OTULIN) regulate its function in cell death. OTULIN hyper-phosphorylation promotes necroptosis by locking ring finger protein 31 (RNF31, also known as HOIP) away from the cylindromatosis (CYLD) complex, resulting in altered receptor interacting serine/threonine kinase 1 (RIPK1) ubiquitination. Further, we identified dual specificity phosphatase 14 (DUSP14) as an OTULIN phosphatase that limits necroptosis.