To analyse the activity of the putative 3C-like serine protease encoded in open reading frame (ORF)-1a of human astrovirus serotype 1 (HAstV-1), ORF-1a was transcribed and translated in vitro. Translation products, identified by immunoprecipitation with specific antibodies against recombinant C-terminal ORF-1a fragments, include the full-length 101 kDa (p101) protein and a 38 kDa band (p38). In...

PURPOSE Specific mutations in the transforming growth factor beta induced (TGFBI) gene are associated with lattice corneal dystrophy (LCD) type 1 and its variants. In this study, we performed an in-depth proteomic analysis of human corneal amyloid deposits associated with the heterozygous A546D mutation in TGFBI. METHODS Corneal amyloid deposits and the surrounding corneal stroma were procure...

Various serine proteases (e.g., trypsin, alpha-chymotrypsin, Pronase, and subtilisin) stimulate adenylate cyclase [ATP pyrophosphate-lyase (cyclizing), EC 4.6.1.1] activity in a membrane-enriched fraction of the rat ovary. Maximum stimulation is observed at protease concentrations ranging from 3 to 10 mug/ml. Higher protease concentrations inhibit ovarian adenylate cyclase in a dose-dependent m...

The cellular serine protease TMPRSS2, a member of the type II transmembrane serine protease (TTSP) family, cleaves and activates the hemagglutinin of influenza A viruses (FLUAV) in cell culture and is essential for spread of diverse FLUAV in mice. Non-human primates (NHP), in particular rhesus and cynomolgus macaques, serve as animal models for influenza and experimental FLUAV infection of comm...

We investigated the involvement of serine protease and proteinase-activated receptor 2 (PAR(2)) in dermatophyte-induced itch in mice. An intradermal injection of an extract of the dermatophyte Arthroderma vanbreuseghemii (ADV) induced hind-paw scratching, an itch-related behavior. ADV extract-induced scratching was inhibited by the opioid receptor antagonists naloxone and naltrexone, the serine...

INTRODUCTION Persistent infection with GBV-C (GB Virus C), a non-pathogenic virus related to hepatitis C virus (HCV), prolongs survival in HIV infection. Two GBV-C proteins, NS5A and E2, have been shown previously to inhibit HIV replication in vitro. We investigated whether the GBV-C NS3 serine protease affects HIV replication. RESULTS GBV-C NS3 protease expressed in a human CD4+ T lymphocyte...

Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) strains remain a formidable cause of diarrheal disease. To identify novel surface proteins of ETEC, we performed TnphoA mutagenesis of prototype ETEC strain H10407 and discovered a secreted protein not previously recognized in ETEC. DNA sequencing of the interrupted locus in mutant TnphoA.977 revealed a candidate 4,095-bp open reading frame without signif...

The Limulus Factor C (FC), a multidomain glycoprotein that binds bacterial endotoxin with high affinity, belongs to the serine protease family of the complement and blood coagulation cascade. Here, we provide compelling evidence for the importance of modular arrangement and relevance of the proline-rich region (PRR) and N-glycosylation to the secretion and function of FC. We propose that PRR co...

Kunitz-type serine protease inhibitors are involved in various physiological processes, such as ion channel blocking, blood coagulation, fibrinolysis, and inflammation. While spider-derived Kunitz-type proteins show activity in trypsin or chymotrypsin inhibition and K(+) channel blocking, no additional role for these proteins has been elucidated. In this study, we identified the first spider (A...

Serine protease inhibitors (Serpins) are a large family of protease inhibitors involved in many critical biological processes such as blood coagulation, fibrinolysis, programmed cell death, development, and innate immunity. We identified MjSerp1, a serpin in the kuruma shrimp Marsupenaeus japonicus. The MjSerp1 cDNA has a 1239 bp open reading frame (ORF) that encodes a 412-amino acid protein wi...