Yeast as a tool to explore cathepsin D function

Authors:

H. Pereira1, C.S.F. Oliveira1,2, L. Castro1, A. Preto1, S. R. Chaves1,#, M. Côrte-Real1,#

doi: 10.15698/mic2015.07.212
Volume 2, pp. 225 to 234, published 11/06/2015.

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Affiliations:

1 CBMA- Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology. Department of Biology, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal.

2 ICBAS – Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar, University of Porto, 4050-313, Porto, Portugal.

# These senior authors contributed equally to this article.

Keywords: 

cathepsin D, cancer, apoptosis, yeast cathepsin D, yeast model

Corresponding Author(s):

M. Côrte-Real, CBMA (Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology); Department of Biology, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar; 4710-057 Braga, Portugal mcortereal@bio.uminho.pt

Conflict of interest statement:

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Please cite this article as:

H. Pereira, C.S.F. Oliveira, L. Castro, A. Preto, S. R. Chaves, M. Côrte-Real (2015). Yeast as a tool to explore cathepsin D function. Microbial Cell 2(7): 225-234.

© 2015 Pereira et al. This is an open-access article released under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license, which allows the unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are acknowledged.

Abstract:

Cathepsin D has garnered increased attention in recent years, mainly since it has been associated with several human pathologies. In particular, cathepsin D is often overexpressed and hypersecreted in cancer cells, implying it may constitute a therapeutic target. However, cathepsin D can have both anti- and pro-survival functions depending on its proteolytic activity, cellular context and stress stimulus. Therefore, a more detailed understanding of cathepsin D regulation and how to modulate its apoptotic functions is clearly needed. In this review, we provide an overview of the role of cathepsin D in physiological and pathological scenarios. We then focus on the opposing functions of cathepsin D in apoptosis, particularly relevant in cancer research. Emphasis is given to the role of the yeast protease Pep4p, the vacuolar counterpart of cathepsin D, in life and death. Finally, we discuss how insights from yeast cathepsin D and its role in regulated cell death can unveil novel functions of mammalian cathepsin D in apoptosis and cancer.