Abstract

Proteases function as molecular switches in signalling circuits at the cell surface and in the extracellular milieu. In light of the many proteases that are encoded by the genome, and the even larger number of bioactive substrates, it is crucial to identify which proteases cleave a particular substrate and which substrates individual proteases cleave. Elucidating the substrate degradomes of proteases will help us to understand the function of proteases in development and disease and to validate proteases as drug targets.

Author affiliations

1. The UBC Centre for Blood Research, CBCRA Program in Breast Cancer Metastasis, Departments of Oral Biological & Medical Sciences, and Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, University of British Columbia, 4.401 Life Sciences Center, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z3, Canada.
2. Arthritis and Tissue Degeneration Program, Caspary Research Building, Room 426, Hospital for Special Surgery, 535 East 70th Street, New York, New York 10021, USA.

Correspondence to: Carl P. Blobel² Email: blobelc@hss.edu

Published online 14 February 2007

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