Identification of a novel aspartic protease (Asp 2) as beta-secretase. Academic Article uri icon

abstract

  • The Alzheimer's disease beta-amyloid peptide (Abeta) is produced by excision from the type 1 integral membrane glycoprotein amyloid precursor protein (APP) by the sequential actions of beta- and then gamma-secretases. Here we report that Asp 2, a novel transmembrane aspartic protease, has the key activities expected of beta-secretase. Transient expression of Asp 2 in cells expressing APP causes an increase in the secretion of the N-terminal fragment of APP and an increase in the cell-associated C-terminal beta-secretase APP fragment. Mutation of either of the putative catalytic aspartyl residues in Asp 2 abrogates the production of the fragments characteristic of cleavage at the beta-secretase site. The enzyme is present in normal and Alzheimer's disease (AD) brain and is also found in cell lines known to produce Abeta. Asp 2 localizes to the Golgi/endoplasmic reticulum in transfected cells and shows clear colocalization with APP in cells stably expressing the 751-amino-acid isoform of APP.

published proceedings

  • Mol Cell Neurosci

altmetric score

  • 52.75

author list (cited authors)

  • Hussain, I., Powell, D., Howlett, D. R., Tew, D. G., Meek, T. D., Chapman, C., ... Christie, G.

citation count

  • 946

complete list of authors

  • Hussain, I||Powell, D||Howlett, DR||Tew, DG||Meek, TD||Chapman, C||Gloger, IS||Murphy, KE||Southan, CD||Ryan, DM||Smith, TS||Simmons, DL||Walsh, FS||Dingwall, C||Christie, G

publication date

  • January 1999