title: Proteases in lymphocyte killer function: redundancy, polymorphism and questions remaining.
abstract: Proteases of the serine and cysteine protease families are involved in many processes crucial to the lytic functions of cytotoxic T lymphocytes and natural killer cells. In this study we describe those functions and attempt to place them in the pathophysiological context of defence to pathogen invasion. In particular, we stress that the co-evolution of pathogens with the immune systems of higher organisms over evolutionary time has ensured that redundancy, flexibility and polymorphism of the proteases can be identified, both within the protease repertoire of a given species, and by comparing orthologous protease functions across species.
authors: Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Australia.
authors: Vivien R
authors: VR
authors: Sutton
authors: Joseph A
authors: JA
authors: Trapani
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D057056:Cysteine Proteases / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D006801:Humans; D007107:Immune System / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000502:physiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000502:physiology*; D055611:Natural Killer T-Cells / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000502:physiology*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D057057:Serine Proteases / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D057056:Cysteine Proteases; D057057:Serine Proteases