title: Regulation and quality control by Lon-dependent proteolysis.
abstract: After their first discovery in Escherichia coli, Lon homologues were found to be widely distributed among prokaryotes to eukaryotes. The ATP-dependent Lon protease belongs to the AAA(+) (ATPases associated with a variety of cellular activities) superfamily, and is involved in both general quality control by degrading abnormal proteins and in the specific control of several regulatory proteins. As such, this enzyme has a pivotal role in quality control and cellular physiology. This review focuses on mechanisms of degradation both from the protease and substrate points of view, and discusses the role of Lon in global regulation, stress response and virulence.
authors.affiliation: Génétique et Physiologie Bactérienne, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Faculté des Sciences, IBMM-DBM, 12 Rue des Professeurs Jeneer et Brachet, B-6041 Gosselies, Belgium. lvmelder@ulb.ac.be
authors.forename: Laurence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Van Melderen
authors.forename: Abram
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aertsen
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D055162:Biocatalysis; D004249:DNA Damage / Q000235:genetics; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D049070:Protease La / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000235:genetics; D013379:Substrate Specificity
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D049070:Protease La