Proteasomes: destruction as a programme

Proteasomes are large multi-subunit protease complexes that selectively degrade intracellular proteins that operate in the stress response, by removing abnormal proteins, and in the immuneresponse, by generating antigenic peptides.

Abstract

Proteasomes are large multi-subunit protease complexes that selectively degrade intracellular proteins. Most of the proteins removed by these proteases are tagged for destruction by ubiquitination. Proteasomes have a role to play in controlling cellular processes, such as metabolism and the cell cycle, through signal-mediated proteolysis of key enzymes and regulatory proteins. They also operate in the stress response, by removing abnormal proteins, and in the immune response, by generating antigenic peptides.