title: Activity-based probes that target diverse cysteine protease families.
abstract: Proteases are one of the largest and best-characterized families of enzymes in the human proteome. Unfortunately, the understanding of protease function in the context of complex proteolytic cascades remains in its infancy. One major reason for this gap in understanding is the lack of technologies that allow direct assessment of protease activity. We report here an optimized solid-phase synthesis protocol that allows rapid generation of activity-based probes (ABPs) targeting a range of cysteine protease families. These reagents selectively form covalent bonds with the active-site thiol of a cysteine protease, allowing direct biochemical profiling of protease activities in complex proteomes. We present a number of probes containing either a single amino acid or an extended peptide sequence that target caspases, legumains, gingipains and cathepsins. Biochemical studies using these reagents highlight their overall utility and provide insight into the biochemical functions of members of these protease families.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Dr., Stanford, California, USA.
authors.forename: Daisuke
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: Kelly M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Boatright
authors.forename: Alicia B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Berger
authors.forename: Tamim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nazif
authors.forename: Galia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Blum
authors.forename: Ciara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ryan
authors.forename: Kareem A H
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Chehade
authors.forename: Guy S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Salvesen
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bogyo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D015853:Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D007659:Ketones / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D015336:Molecular Probe Techniques; D015335:Molecular Probes / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D013379:Substrate Specificity
chemical_list: D015853:Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors; D007659:Ketones; D015335:Molecular Probes; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases