Endoplasmic Reticulum Aminopeptidase 1 (ERAP1)

Aminopeptidases play a role in the metabolism of several peptides that may be involved in blood pressure and the pathogenesis of essential hypertension . Adipocyte-derived leucine aminopeptidase (ALAP) is a member of the M1 family of zinc metallopeptidases.

The deduced 941-amino acid protein contains an N-terminal signal peptide, 5 potential N-glycosylation sites, a potential membrane-spanning domain, and a zinc-binding motif. Northern blot analysis revealed expression of 3.6- and 5.1-kb transcripts in all tissues tested except brain, where only the 5.1-kb mRNA was expressed. An additional 5.6-kb transcript was expressed in spleen and ovary.