弗林蛋白酶:一种广泛参与前体蛋白切割的内切蛋白酶

Furin:An Endoprotease Involved in Processing of A Wide Variety of Precursor Proteins

弗林蛋白酶(Furin)是真核生物细胞中一种重要的内切蛋白酶。Furin能识别特定的氨基酸序列,在内质网-高尔基体中经两次自剪切活化后,对分泌途径中许多重要的多肽和蛋白的前体进行剪切加工,使之具有生物活性。Furin底物广泛,包括大多数的肽类激素、许多生长因子、受体、黏附分子、基质金属蛋白酶和某些病毒包装糖蛋白以及细菌外毒素,因此具有重要的生物学功能,并与许多疾病的发生发展有密切的关系。

Furin serves as an endoproteinase in eukaryotes. It recognizes specific amino acid sequence and after two self-cleavages in endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi＇s body, it cleaves many crucial precursors of peptides and proteins in the secretory pathway, helping the precursors gain their bioactivity. Having a wide variety of substrates, including most peptide hormones, growth factors, receptors, adhesion molecule, matrix metalloproteinase, some virus envelope glycoprotein and bacterial exotoxins, Furin possesses important biological functions and bears a close relationship with the development of many diseases.