Description

Plant proteases are involved in most aspects of plant physiology and development, playing key roles in the generation of signaling molecules and as regulators of essential cellular processes such as cell division and metabolism. They take part in important pathways like protein turnover by the degradation of misfolded proteins and the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway, and they are responsible for post-translational modifications of proteins by proteolysis at highly specific sites. Proteases are also implicated in a great variety of environmentally controlled processes, including mobilization of storage proteins during seed germination, development of seedlings, senescence, programmed cell death and defense mechanisms against pests and pathogens.

However, in spite of their importance, little is known about the functions and mode of actions of specific plant proteases. This Research Topic aims to collect contributions covering diverse aspects of plant proteases research, including:
• Plant proteases biological role and functional characterization
• Process regulation by plant proteases and their inhibitors
• Development of strategies to monitor and alter plant proteases activity
• Elucidation of the biochemistry of specific protease families
• Novel technologies to study proteases and identify their natural substrates
• New methods that can be used to track and inhibit protease activity at the molecular level and their biotechnological applications
• Recent advances in the use of structural biology to study individual proteases and proteases that are part of larger complexes