Making the cut: central roles of intramembrane proteolysis in pathogenic microorganisms.
Proteolysis in cellular membranes to liberate effector domains from their transmembrane anchors is a well-studied regulatory mechanism in animal biology and disease. By contrast, the function of intramembrane proteases in unicellular organisms has received little attention. Recent progress has now established that intramembrane proteases execute pivotal roles in a range of pathogens, from regulating Mycobacterium tuberculosis envelope composition, cholera toxin production, bacterial adherence and conjugation, to malaria parasite invasion, fungal virulence, immune evasion by parasitic amoebae and hepatitis C virus assembly. These advances raise the exciting possibility that intramembrane proteases may serve as targets for combating a wide range of infectious diseases. This Review focuses on summarizing the advances, evaluating the limitations and highlighting the promise of this newly emerging field.
Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, USA. surban@jhmi.edu
Sinisa
S
Urban
D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria / Q000378:metabolism / Q000472:pathogenicity; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D056890:Eukaryota / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D005658:Fungi / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D008954:Models, Biological; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D014780:Viruses / Q000378:metabolism / Q000472:pathogenicity
D008565:Membrane Proteins; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases