Abstract
A cDNA encoding a novel human putative member of the papain family of cysteine peptidases has been cloned. The protease, named cathepsin P, is synthesized as a preproprotein. The presumed propeptide of 38 amino acids is followed by a 242-residue mature protein. The mature protease region is 30% identical to human papain-like cathepsins, with all the residues important for catalysis conserved. No similarity was observed in the propeptide region. On the contrary, the proenzyme shares 51-87% residues with some precursors of cysteine proteases from other species that have not yet been characterized. They all show a nearly completely conserved “CYTRED motif” in the propeptide region, not present in other members of the family, and could therefore constitute a distinct subfamily.
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Published: January 2000
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Pungerčar, J., Ivanovski, G. Identification and molecular cloning of cathepsin P, a novel human putative cysteine protease of the papain family. Pflügers Arch 439 (Suppl 1), r116–r118 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1007/s004240000112
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s004240000112