Proteases & Proteasome

The over 500 proteases that have been identified in the genome comprise a diverse enzyme family critical for many vital processes. Lysosomal proteases (e.g. cathepsins) and the proteasome comprise the degradative pathways for protein turnover, misfolded and damaged proteins, and thus are major contributors to protein homeostasis, i.e. proteostasis. In contrast, precise and limited proteolysis (e.g. MMPs, ADAMs, caspases, DPPIV) are increasingly recognized as an important form of regulation that activates or inactivates many signaling targets including other proteases, growth factors and peptides.