The eight human “canonical” ribonucleases: molecular diversity, catalytic properties, and special biological actions of the enzyme proteins

摘要

Human ribonucleases (RNases) are members of a large superfamily of rapidly evolving homologous\udproteins. Upon completion of the human genome, eight catalytically active RNases (numbered 1–8)\udwere identified. These structurally distinct RNases, characterized by their various catalytic differences\udon different RNA substrates, constitute a gene family that appears to be the sole vertebratespecific\udenzyme family. Apart from digestion of dietary RNA, a wide variety of biological actions,\udincluding neurotoxicity, angiogenesis, immunosuppressivity, and anti-pathogen activity, have been\udrecently reported for almost all members of the family. Recent evolutionary studies suggest that\udRNases started off in vertebrates as host defence or angiogenic proteins.\ud_ 2010 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.