W. Hilt et Dh. Wold, PROTEASOMES - PROTEASE COMPLEXES LEAD TO A NEW UNDERSTANDING OF CELLULAR-REGULATION VIA PROTEOLYSIS, Naturwissenschaften, 82(6), 1995, pp. 257-268
Proteasomes are large multicatalytic protease complexes which fulfill
central functions in major proteolytic pathways of the eukaryotic cell
. Two types of proteasomes are known: the cylindrically shaped 20S pro
teasome (700 kDa) and the 26S proteasome (1700 kDa) which contains the
20S proteasome as a functional core. Proteasomes are needed for stres
s-dependent and ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis. They are involved in d
egradation of abnormal, short-lived, and regulatory proteins. Proteaso
mes are important for cell differentiation and adaptation to environme
ntal changes. Proteasomes have been shown to function in the control o
f the cell cycle and are suggested to be involved in antigen presentat
ion by processing of intracellular proteins to antigenic peptides.