L-asparaginase (L-asparagine amidohydrolase, asparaginase-like protein 1, ASRGL1, ALP, CRASH)

Function

• acts in asparagine catabolism
• may be involved in astroglial production of L-aspartate, which can act as an excitatory neurotransmitter in some brain regions

L-asparagine + H2O <--> L-aspartate + NH3

Structure

belongs to the asparaginase 2 family

Compartment

cytoplasm. Note=Midpiece of sperm tail

Alternative splicing

named isoforms=2

Expression

• expressed in brain, kidney, testis & tissues of the gastrointestinal tract.
• present in sperm (at protein level)
• induced by 5-alpha-di-hydrotestosterone & progesterone

Pathology

• over-expressed in uterine, mammary, prostatic & ovarian carcinoma

Pharmacology

• used as an antineoplastic agent (see asparaginase)

More general terms

• amidohydrolase

More specific terms

• asparaginase (Elspar)
• pegaspargase (Oncaspar, PEG-L-asparaginase)

Database

• UniProt: http://www.uniprot.org/uniprot/Q7L266.html