title: Structure and physiological function of calpains.
abstract: For a long time now, two ubiquitously expressed mammalian calpain isoenzymes have been used to explore the structure and function of calpain. Although these two calpains, mu- and m-calpains, still attract intensive interest because of their unique characteristics, various distinct homologues to the protease domain of mu- and m-calpains have been identified in a variety of organisms. Some of these 'novel' calpain homologues are involved in important biological functions. For example, p94 (also called calpain 3), a mammalian calpain homologue predominantly expressed in skeletal muscle, is genetically proved to be responsible for limb-girdle muscular dystrophy type 2A. Tra-3, a calpain homologue in nematodes, is involved in the sex determination cascade during early development. PalB, a key gene product involved in the alkaline adaptation of Aspergillus nidulans, is the first example of a calpain homologue present in fungi. These findings indicate various important functional roles for intracellular proteases belonging to the calpain superfamily.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Structure and Function, Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences, University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sorimachi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ishiura
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Suzuki
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000737:chemistry; D002154:Calpain / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000502:physiology*; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D015853:Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D019849:Sex Determination Processes
chemical_list: D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D015853:Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors; D002154:Calpain; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases; D002118:Calcium