Threonine aspartase 1 is an

enzyme Enzymes () are proteins that act as biological catalysts by accelerating chemical reactions. The molecules upon which enzymes may act are called substrates, and the enzyme converts the substrates into different molecules known as products ...

that in humans is encoded by the ''TASP1''

gene In biology, the word gene (from , ; "... Wilhelm Johannsen coined the word gene to describe the Mendelian units of heredity..." meaning ''generation'' or ''birth'' or ''gender'') can have several different meanings. The Mendelian gene is a b ...

Function

This gene encodes an

endopeptidase Endopeptidase or endoproteinase are proteolytic peptidases that break peptide bonds of nonterminal amino acids (i.e. within the molecule), in contrast to exopeptidases, which break peptide bonds from end-pieces of terminal amino acids. For this ...

that cleaves specific substrates following aspartate residues. The encoded protein undergoes posttranslational autoproteolytic processing to generate alpha and beta subunits, which reassemble into the active alpha2-beta2 heterotetramer. It is required to cleave MLL, a protein required for the maintenance of

HOX gene Hox genes, a subset of homeobox genes, are a group of related genes that specify regions of the body plan of an embryo along the head-tail axis of animals. Hox proteins encode and specify the characteristics of 'position', ensuring that the cor ...

expression, and

TFIIA Transcription factor TFIIA is a nuclear protein involved in the RNA polymerase II-dependent transcription of DNA. TFIIA is one of several general (basal) transcription factors ( GTFs) that are required for all transcription events that use RNA ...

, a basal transcription factor. Cleavage of

has been found to drive spermatogenesis. Alternatively spliced transcript variants have been described, but their biological validity has not been determined.

Clinical significance

Taspase1 is overexpressed in primary human cancers and functions as a non-

oncogene An oncogene is a gene that has the potential to cause cancer. In tumor cells, these genes are often mutated, or expressed at high levels.

addiction protease that coordinates cancer cell proliferation and apoptosis. Therefore, Taspase1 may serve as a novel anti-cancer therapeutic target.

Function

Clinical significance

References

Further reading