组织蛋白酶B(cathepsin B,CB;EC3.4.22.1)是组织蛋白酶超家族中特殊的一员,为同时具有肽链内切酶和羧基二肽酶活性的半胱氨酸蛋白水解酶。虽然组织蛋白酶B广泛存在于各种动植物及细菌病毒中,但对水生动物的研究表明,不同物种组织特异性并不完全相同。现综述水生动物中CB基因及蛋白结构特性、表达及功能和CB与其他酶类的相互作用。水生动物中的CB行使多方面的功能,如参与卵巢卵母细胞的发生、胚胎形成及发育、水生软体动物幼虫发育、肠道中蛋白质的降解以及免疫过程等等。
Cathepsin B (CB; EC 3.4.22.1) is a proteinase of the cathepsin superfamily, which also acts as a carboxypeptidase and an endopeptidase at the same time. It widely exists in various animals and plants, even virus and bacterium. In aquatic animals, the tissue specificity in different species is not the same. In this article, we reviewed the gene and protein structure characteristics of CB. The expression and function of CB in different species and different tissues are summarized. The interaction of CB with other enzymes is also introduced. Cathepsin B exercises many functions in aquatic animals, such as participating in the development of oocyte and embryo, molluscs' larvae development, intestinal protein degradation and immune process and so on.