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The chemistry and enzymology of the type I signal peptidases

  1. Ross E. Dalbey1,
  2. Mark O. Lively2,*,
  3. Sierd Bron3,
  4. Jan Maarten Van Dijl3

Article first published online: 31 DEC 2008

DOI: 10.1002/pro.5560060601

Issue

Protein Science

Protein Science

Volume 6, Issue 6, pages 1129–1138, June 1997

Additional Information

How to Cite

Dalbey, R. E., Lively, M. O., Bron, S. and Dijl, J. M. V. (1997), The chemistry and enzymology of the type I signal peptidases. Protein Science, 6: 1129–1138. doi: 10.1002/pro.5560060601

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Chemistry, The Ohio State University, 120 West 18th Avenue, Columbus, Ohio, 43210

  2. 2

    Biochemistry Department, Bowman Gray School of Medicine, Wake Forest University, Medical Center Blvd., Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27157

  3. 3

    Department of Genetics, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, Kerklaan 30, 9751 NN, Haren (GN), The Netherlands

*Department of Biochemistry, Bowman Gray School of Medicine, Medical Center Blvd., Winston-Salem, NC 27157

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 31 DEC 2008
  2. Article first published online: 31 DEC 2008
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 30 JAN 1997
  4. Manuscript Received: 13 NOV 1996

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Keywords:

  • endoplasmic reticulum;
  • leader peptidase;
  • membrane protein;
  • protein secretion;
  • signal peptidase

Abstract

The discovery that proteins exported from the cytoplasm are typically synthesized as larger precursors with cleavable signal peptides has focused interest on the peptidases that remove the signal peptides. Here, we review the membrane-bound peptidases dedicated to the processing of protein precursors that are found in the plasma membrane of prokaryotes and the endoplasmic reticulum, the mitochondrial inner membrane, and the chloroplast thylakoidal membrane of eukaryotes. These peptidases are termed type I signal (or leader) peptidases. They share the unusual feature of being resistant to the general inhibitors of the four well-characterized peptidase classes. The eukaryotic and prokaryotic signal peptidases appear to belong to a single peptidase family. This review emphasizes the evolutionary concepts, current knowledge of the catalytic mechanism, and substrate specificity requirements of the signal peptidases.

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