Author/Editor		Dolenc, Iztok; Klemenčič, Ivica; Turk, Dušan; Taler-Verčič, Ajda; Turk, Boris; Turk, Vito; Stoka, Veronika
Title		Human cathepsin X/Z is a biologically active homodimer
Type		članek
Vol. and No.		Letnik 1869, št. 2
Publication year		2021
Volume		str. 1-10
ISSN		1878-1454
Language		eng
Abstract		Human cathepsin X belongs to the cathepsin family of 11 lysosomal cysteine proteases. We expressed recombinant procathepsin X in Pichia pastoris in vitro and cleaved it into its active mature form using aspartic cathepsin E. We found, using size exclusion chromatography, X-ray crystallography, and small-angle X-ray scattering, that cathepsin X is a biologically active homodimer with a molecular weight of ~53 kDa. The novel finding that cathepsin X is a dimeric protein opens new horizons in the understanding of its function and the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms of various diseases including neurodegenerative disorders in humans.
Keywords		katepsin X katepsin Z homodimer cathepsin X cathepsin Z homodimer