Cutaneous melanin pigment plays a critical role in camouflage, mimicry, social
communication, and protection against harmful effects of solar radiation. Melanogenesis is …

Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) is a 38-amino acid C-terminally
α-amidated peptide that was first isolated 20 years ago from an ovine hypothalamic extract …

Seven secretory mammalian kexin-like subtilases have been identified that cleave a variety
of precursor proteins at monobasic and dibasic residues. The recently characterized …

The Notch receptor, which is involved in numerous cell fate decisions in invertebrates and
vertebrates, is synthesized as a 300-kDa precursor molecule (p300). We show here that …

Over one third of all known proteolytic enzymes are serine proteases. Among these, the
trypsins underwent the most predominant genetic expansion yielding the enzymes …

Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) is a 38-amino acid peptide that
was first isolated from ovine hypothalamic extracts on the basis of its ability to stimulate …

Neurotensin is a brain and gastrointestinal peptide that fulfils many central and peripheral
functions through its interaction with specific receptors. Three subtypes of neurotensin …

Proproteins and prohormones are the fundamental units from which bioactive proteins and
peptides as well as neuropeptides are derived by limited proteolysis within the secretory …

Excess free iron generates oxidative stress that hallmarks diseases of aging. The
observation that patients with Alzheimer's disease or Parkinson's disease show a dramatic …

The major endoproteolytic processing enzymes of the secretory pathway are the subtilisin-
like proprotein convertases (SPCs). Furin (SPC1) has emerged as one of the major …