Review
Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology 4, 140-156 (February 2003) | doi:10.1038/nrm1014
Transglutaminases: crosslinking enzymes with pleiotropic functions
Laszlo Lorand1 & Robert M. Graham2 About the authors
Abstract
Blood coagulation, skin-barrier formation, hardening of the fertilization envelope, extracellular-matrix assembly and other important biological processes are dependent on the rapid generation of covalent crosslinks between proteins. These reactions — which are catalysed by transglutaminases — endow the resulting supramolecular structure with extra rigidity and resistance against proteolytic degradation. Some transglutaminases function as molecular switches in cytoskeletal scaffolding and modulate protein–protein interactions. Having knowledge of these enzymes is essential for understanding the aetiologies of diverse hereditary diseases of the blood and skin, and various autoimmune, inflammatory and degenerative conditions.
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Author affiliations
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, 303 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA.
- Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, 384 Victoria Street, Darlinghurst, New South Wales 2010, Australia.
Correspondence to: Laszlo Lorand1 Email: l-lorand@northwestern.edu
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