细菌Lon蛋白酶研究进展

Research progress on bacterial Lon protease

摘要:

Lon蛋白酶是首个被鉴定的ATP依赖蛋白酶家族成员，在原核生物中发挥着降解错误折叠蛋白、维持胞内蛋白质平衡的作用。最近研究表明Lon蛋白还可以作为压力应激蛋白，参与降解多种转录调控因子和二元调控系统，改变细菌胞内的生理代谢过程以适应环境的改变。本文从Lon蛋白酶的结构、功能与上下游调控网络作一综述，旨在更全面清楚地了解ATP依赖蛋白酶的生理功能，以期为其胞内调控机制研究提供参考。

Abstract:

Lon protease is the first identified ATP-dependent protease that plays critical role in degrading misfolded proteins and maintaining intracellular protein balance in prokaryotes. Recent studies have suggested that, as a pressure-stress protein, Lon was involved in the degradation of a variety of transcription regulators and two-component regulatory system in bacteria, resulting in altered physiologically metabolic process of bacteria cells to adapt to the environment change. In this paper, the structure, function, and up and down-stream regulatory network of bacterial Lon protease are reviewed, aiming at enhancing understanding in the physiological function of Lon, as well as providing basis for elucidating the mechanism of intracellular regulation.