UBE3A and autism spectrum disorder: In addition to AS research, such efforts to better understand UBE3A substrates may also be relevant for autistic spectrum disorders (ASD), as duplication of the 15q11-13 chromosomal region encompassing the UBE3A locus is one of the few characterized persistent cytogenetic abnormalities associated with ASDs, occurring in > 1–2% of all ASD cases50,51.