title: Cathepsins as transcriptional activators?
abstract: One action of proteases is limited cleavage of latent transcription factors, releasing active factors to initiate nuclear signaling. Goulet et al., in a recent Molecular Cell paper, provide evidence that a lysosomal protease, cathepsin L, exists in a previously unsuspected isoform capable of trafficking to the nucleus and activating the CDP/Cux transcription factor. The findings should stimulate new research on the nature of nuclear proteases involved in signaling.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, 513 Parnassus Avenue, HSE-201, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.
authors.forename: Harold A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Chapman
mesh_terms: D021581:Active Transport, Cell Nucleus / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D056668:Cathepsin L; D002403:Cathepsins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism*; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D006801:Humans; D008247:Lysosomes / Q000378:metabolism*; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors; D015533:Transcriptional Activation / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: C080632:CUX1 protein, human; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D002403:Cathepsins; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases; C534281:CTSL protein, human; D056668:Cathepsin L