Preparation of neprosin I - unique aspartic protease with potential in structural biology, proteomics and treatment of gluten intolerance.

Proteases are being found in all realms from viruses and microorganisms to plants and animals, including humans. They are necessary for living organisms. They degrade proteins to peptides and amino acids, allowing organisms to better absorb nutrients. Proteases also have a regulatory function - they control the cell cycle, they are responsible for converting precursors to biologically active substances, they are part of signaling cascades. Thanks to their properties, proteases are used for therapeutic purposes but found their used also in industry and research. This work deals with the production of recombinantly prepared neprosin - a newly discovered prolyl endopeptidase isolated from the carnivorous plant Nepenthes ventrata. It is an acidic protease with potential for use in structural biology, proteomics and medicine. Due to its ability to cleave primarily C-terminal proline residues, neprosin become a promising option for celiac enzyme therapy. (In Czech