membrane metallo-endopeptidase-like 1; membrane metallo-endopeptidase-like 2; nNeprilysin-2; NL2; NEP2m [Contains: membrane metallo-endopeptidase-like 1, soluble form (neprilysin-2 secreted) (NEP2(s))] (MMEL1, MELL1, MMEL2, NEP2)

Function

• metalloprotease involved in sperm function
• role in fertilization & early embryonic development
• degrades broad variety of small peptides with preference for peptides shorter than 3 kD containing neutral bulky aliphatic or aromatic amino acid residues
• shares the same substrate specificiy with MME & cleaves peptides at same amide bond
• preferential cleavage of polypeptides between hydrophobic residues, particularly with Phe or Tyr at P1'

Cofactor: binds 1 Zn+2 per subunit

Inhibition:

• inhibited by thiorphan & phosphoramidon

Structure

• N-glycosylated
• belongs to the peptidase M13 family

Compartment

membrane, secreted

Alternative splicing

named isoforms=3

Expression

• predominantly expressed in testis
• weakly expressed in brain, kidney, heart

More general terms

• metalloprotease
• glycoprotein
• membrane protein

Database

• UniProt: http://www.uniprot.org/uniprot/Q495T6.html