Proteasomes : Multicatalytic Proteinase Complexes. Special Topic Issue: Enzyme and Protein 1993, Vol. 47, No. 4-6

Proteasomes (multicatalytic proteinase complexes) are high molecular mass proteolytic molecules found in relatively high concentrations in all eukaryotic cells.

Evidence for their essential role in several fundamental cellular processes coupled with their unique structural and catalytic properties accounts for the explosive growth of research on these molecules.

They participate in extralysosomal protein metabolism, in the degradation of ubiquitinylated proteins such as cyclins, oncoproteins and transcription factors and in the generation of antigens from endogenous proteins in the MHC-1 pathway.

Bringing together almost all of the major contributors to this rapidly evolving research area, this publication is the first to offer a ready source of information on the structure, properties and functional significance of proteasomes.

It will be of special interest to cell biologists, immunologists, enzymologists and protein chemists.