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Bacterial β-peptidyl aminopeptidases: on the hydrolytic degradation of β-peptides

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Abstract

The special chemical and biological features of β-peptides have been investigated intensively during recent years. Many studies emphasize the restricted biodegradability and the high metabolic stability of this class of compounds. β-Peptidyl aminopeptidases form the first family of enzymes that hydrolyze a variety of short β-peptides and β-amino-acid-containing peptides. All representatives of this family were isolated from Gram-negative bacteria. The substrate specificities of the peptidases vary greatly, but the enzymes have common structural properties, and a similar reaction mechanism can be expected. This review gives an overview on the β-peptidyl aminopeptidases with emphasis on their biochemical and structural properties. Their possible physiological function is discussed. Functionally and structurally related enzymes are compared to the β-peptidyl aminopeptidases.

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Acknowledgment

This work was financially supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation grant SNF315200-109414/1 (B.G.).

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  1. Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag), Ueberlandstrasse 133, 8600, Dübendorf, Switzerland

    B. Geueke & H.-P. E. Kohler

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  1. B. Geueke
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  2. H.-P. E. Kohler
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Correspondence to B. Geueke.

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Geueke, B., Kohler, HP.E. Bacterial β-peptidyl aminopeptidases: on the hydrolytic degradation of β-peptides. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 74, 1197–1204 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-007-0872-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-007-0872-5

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