Processing of the papain precursor: the ionization state of a conserved amino acid motif within the pro region participates in the regulation of intramolecular …
The cysteine protease papain is synthesized as a 40-kDa inactive precursor with a 107-
amino-acid N-terminal pro region. Although sequence conservation in the pro region is
lower than in the mature proteases, a conserved motif (Gly-Xaa-Asn-Xaa-Phe-Xaa-Asp-36,
papain precursor numbering) was found within the pro region of cysteine proteases of the
papain superfamily. To determinate the function to this conserved motif, we have
mutagenized at random each of the 4 residues individually within the pro region of the …
amino-acid N-terminal pro region. Although sequence conservation in the pro region is
lower than in the mature proteases, a conserved motif (Gly-Xaa-Asn-Xaa-Phe-Xaa-Asp-36,
papain precursor numbering) was found within the pro region of cysteine proteases of the
papain superfamily. To determinate the function to this conserved motif, we have
mutagenized at random each of the 4 residues individually within the pro region of the …
