Cathepsins as transcriptional activators?

One action of proteases is limited cleavage of latent transcription factors, releasing active factors to initiate nuclear signaling. Goulet et al., in a recent Molecular Cell paper, provide evidence that a lysosomal protease, cathepsin L, exists in a previously unsuspected isoform capable of trafficking to the nucleus and activating the CDP/Cux transcription factor. The findings should stimulate new research on the nature of nuclear proteases involved in signaling.

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