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Evolutionary families of peptidases

Neil D. RawlingsDepartment of Biochemistry, Strangeways Research Laboratory, Worts Causeway, Cambridge CB1 4RN, U.KA. John BarrettDepartment of Biochemistry, Strangeways Research Laboratory, Worts Causeway, Cambridge CB1 4RN, U.K
1993en
ABI

Abstract

The available amino acid sequences of peptidases have been examined, and the enzymes have been allocated to evolutionary families. Some of the families can be grouped together in 'clans' that show signs of distant relationship, but nevertheless, it appears that there may be as many as 60 evolutionary lines of peptidases with separate origins. Some of these contain members with quite diverse peptidase activities, and yet there are some striking examples of convergence. We suggest that the classification by families could be used as an extension of the current classification by catalytic type.

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