#!/usr/bin/perl

while (<DATA>) {
    s/^(?!>)...(.*)..../$1/;
    #       ^^^    ^^^^  
    #       x=3    y=4

    print;
}

__DATA__
>HWI-EAS158_40_3_1_46_535
GTGAATGCGTGATACAGGAATGTTCGTTGTGACCAT
>HWI-EAS158_40_3_1_47_579
AAAGTGAATGCGTGATACAGGAATGTTCGTTGTGAC
>HWI-EAS158_40_3_1_46_731
GTGTCATGCGTGATACAGGAATGTTCGTTGTGAAAA