title: The ATP-dependent CodWX (HslVU) protease in Bacillus subtilis is an N-terminal serine protease.
abstract: HslVU is a two-component ATP-dependent protease, consisting of HslV peptidase and HslU ATPase. CodW and CodX, encoded by the cod operon in Bacillus subtilis, display 52% identity in their amino acid sequences to HslV and HslU in Escherichia coli, respectively. Here we show that CodW and CodX can function together as a new type of two-component ATP-dependent protease. Remarkably, CodW uses its N-terminal serine hydroxyl group as the catalytic nucleophile, unlike HslV and certain beta-type subunits of the proteasomes, which have N-terminal threonine functioning as an active site residue. The ATP-dependent proteolytic activity of CodWX is strongly inhibited by serine protease inhibitors, unlike that of HslVU. Replacement of the N-terminal serine of CodW by alanine or even threonine completely abolishes the enzyme activity. These results indicate that CodWX in B.subtilis represents the first N-terminal serine protease among all known proteolytic enzymes.
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742, Korea.
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: B K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: I S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Seong
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Seol
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tanahashi
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Chung
mesh_terms: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000201:enzymology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D017931:DNA Primers; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016297:Mutagenesis, Site-Directed; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015842:Serine Proteinase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D015842:Serine Proteinase Inhibitors; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; C423319:CodWX protease; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases