Expression and genetic loss of function analysis of the HAT/DESC cluster proteases TMPRSS11A and HAT

PLoS One. 2011;6(8):e23261. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0023261. Epub 2011 Aug 10.

Abstract

Genome mining at the turn of the millennium uncovered a new family of type II transmembrane serine proteases (TTSPs) that comprises 17 members in humans and 19 in mice. TTSPs phylogenetically belong to one of four subfamilies: matriptase, hepsin/TMPRSS, corin and HAT/DESC. Whereas a wealth of information now has been gathered as to the physiological functions of members of the hepsin/TMPRSS, matriptase, and corin subfamilies of TTSPs, comparatively little is known about the functions of the HAT/DESC subfamily of proteases. Here we perform a combined expression and functional analysis of this TTSP subfamily. We show that the five human and seven murine HAT/DESC proteases are coordinately expressed, suggesting a level of functional redundancy. We also perform a comprehensive phenotypic analysis of mice deficient in two of the most widely expressed HAT/DESC proteases, TMPRSS11A and HAT, and show that the two proteases are dispensable for development, health, and long-term survival in the absence of external challenges or additional genetic deficits. Our comprehensive expression analysis and generation of TMPRSS11A- and HAT-deficient mutant mouse strains provide a valuable resource for the scientific community for further exploration of the HAT/DESC subfamily proteases in physiological and pathological processes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural

MeSH terms

  • Aging / pathology
  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic*
  • Growth and Development / genetics
  • Health
  • Humans
  • Membrane Proteins / chemistry
  • Membrane Proteins / deficiency
  • Membrane Proteins / genetics*
  • Membrane Proteins / metabolism*
  • Mice
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Multigene Family / genetics*
  • Organ Specificity / genetics
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • Serine Endopeptidases / chemistry
  • Serine Endopeptidases / deficiency
  • Serine Endopeptidases / genetics*
  • Serine Endopeptidases / metabolism*
  • Serine Proteases / chemistry
  • Serine Proteases / deficiency
  • Serine Proteases / genetics*
  • Serine Proteases / metabolism*
  • Survival Analysis

Substances

  • Membrane Proteins
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Serine Proteases
  • TMPRSS11A protein, mouse
  • Serine Endopeptidases
  • human airway trypsin-like protease