title: The pro-region of the Kex2 endoprotease of Saccharomyces cerevisiae is removed by self-processing.
abstract: We have produced in the baculovirus/insect cells expression system a soluble secreted form of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae Kex2 endoprotease. This secreted enzyme was purified and its NH2-terminal sequence determined. The NH2-terminal sequence started at residue Leu109 of the sequence deduced from the KEX2 gene nucleotide sequence, showing that the Kex2 enzyme is produced as a proenzyme. Residue Leu109 is preceded by a pair of basic amino acid residues (Lys107-Arg108) which is a potential processing site for the Kex2 endopeptidase. Furthermore, expression of an inactive form of this truncated enzyme resulted in the production of a protein with a higher molecular weight. These observations suggest that the pro-region of Kex2 endoprotease is removed by a self-processing event.
authors.affiliation: Eukaryotic Genetics Group, National Research Council, Canada Biotechnology Research Institute, Montréal.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Germain
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dumas
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Vernet
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bourbonnais
authors.forename: D Y
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Boileau
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D015870:Gene Expression; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D043484:Proprotein Convertases; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000378:metabolism*; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000201:enzymology*; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000378:metabolism*; D013381:Subtilisins
chemical_list: D011498:Protein Precursors; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; D043484:Proprotein Convertases; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; D013381:Subtilisins; C058751:KEX2 protein, S cerevisiae