Arg
Reaction: Similar to pepsin, but also cleaves on either side of Asp and at LysArg
Other names: Nepenthes aspartic proteinase; Nepenthes acid proteinase; nepenthacin; nepenthasin; aspartyl endopeptidase
Comments: From the insectivorous plants Nepenthes spp. (secretions) and Drosera peltata (ground-up leaves). Formerly EC 3.4.99.4. Aspartic endopeptidases are probably present in many other plants, including Lotus [3] (formerly EC 3.4.23.13) and sorghum [2] (formerly EC 3.4.23.14). In peptidase family A1 (pepsin A family)
Links to other databases: BRENDA, EXPASY, KEGG, MEROPS, Metacyc, CAS registry number: 9073-80-7
References:
1. Amagase, S., Nakayama, S. and Tsugita, A. Acid protease in Nepenthes. II. Study on the specificty of nepenthesin. J. Biochem. (Tokyo) 66 (1969) 431-439. [PMID: 5354017]
2. Garg, G.K. and Virupaksha, T.K. Acid protease from germinated sorghum. 2. Substrate specificity with synthetic peptides and ribonuclease A. Eur. J. Biochem. 17 (1970) 4-12. [PMID: 5486576]
3. Shinano, S. and Fukushima, K. Studies on lotus seed protease. Part III. Some physicochemical and enzymic properties. Agric. Biol. Chem. 35 (1971) 1488-1494
4. Amagase, S. Digestive enzymes in insectivorous plants. III. Acid proteases in the genus Nepenthes and Drosera peltata. J. Biochem. (Tokyo) 72 (1972) 73-81. [PMID: 5069751]
5. Takahashi, K., Chang, W-J. and Ko, J-S. Specific inhibition of acid proteases from brain, kidney, skeletal muscle, and insectivorous plants by diazoacetyl-DL-norleucine methyl ester and by pepstatin. J. Biochem. (Tokyo) 76 (1974) 897-899. [PMID: 4436292]
6. Tökés, Z.A., Woon, W.C. and Chambers, S.M. Digestive enzymes secreted by the carnivorous plant Nepenthes macferlani L. Planta 119 (1974) 39-46