InterPro: IPR000246 Peptidase T2, asparaginase 2

In the MEROPS database peptidases and peptidase homologues are grouped into clans and families. Clans are groups of families for which there is evidence of common ancestry based on a common structural fold:

• Each clan is identified with two letters, the first representing the catalytic type of the families included in the clan (with the letter 'P' being used for a clan containing families of more than one of the catalytic types serine, threonine and cysteine). Some families cannot yet be assigned to clans, and when a formal assignment is required, such a family is described as belonging to clan A-, C-, M-, S-, T- or U-, according to the catalytic type. Some clans are divided into subclans because there is evidence of a very ancient divergence within the clan, for example MA(E), the gluzincins, and MA(M), the metzincins.
• Peptidase families are grouped by their catalytic type, the first character representing the catalytic type: A, aspartic; C, cysteine; G, glutamic acid; M, metallo; S, serine; T, threonine; and U, unknown. The serine, threonine and cysteine peptidases utilise the amino acid as a nucleophile and form an acyl intermediate - these peptidases can also readily act as transferases. In the case of aspartic, glutamic and metallopeptidases, the nucleophile is an activated water molecule.

In many instances the structural protein fold that characterises the clan or family may have lost its catalytic activity, yet retain its function in protein recognition and binding.

Threonine peptidases are characterised by a threonine nucleophile at the N terminus of the mature enzyme. The threonine peptidases belong to clan PB or are unassigned, clan T-. The type example for this clan is the archaean proteasome beta component of Thermoplasma acidophilum.

This group of sequences have a signature that places them in MEROPS peptidase family T2 (clan PB(T)). The glycosylasparaginases (EC:3.5.1.26) are threonine peptidases. Also in this family is L-asparaginase (EC:3.5.1.1), which catalyses the following reaction:

L-asparagine + H₂O = L-aspartate + NH₃

Glycosylasparaginase catalyses:

N4-(beta-N-acetyl-D-glucosaminyl)-L-asparagine + H(2)O = N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminylamine + L-aspartate