Identification of Signal Peptide Peptidase, a Presenilin-Type Aspartic Protease

• DOI: 10.1126/science.1070925
• Publication Date: 2002-07-28T23:06:23Z
• Authors: Andreas Weihofen; Kathleen Binns; Marius K. Lemberg; Keith Ashman; Bruno Martoglio
• Keywords: Proteolysis; Signal peptidase; Aspartic acid

Signal peptide peptidase (SPP) catalyzes intramembrane proteolysis of some signal peptides after they have been cleaved from a preprotein. In humans, SPP activity is required to generate sequence–derived human lymphocyte antigen–E epitopes that are recognized by the immune system, and process hepatitis C virus core protein. We identified as polytopic membrane protein with sequence motifs characteristic presenilin-type aspartic proteases. potential eukaryotic homologs may represent another family proteases promote release biologically important peptides.