Zinc is known to be indispensable to growth and development and transmission of the
genetic message. It does this through a remarkable mosaic of zinc binding motifs that …

The proteins that inhibit peptidases are of great importance in medicine and biotechnology,
but there has never been a comprehensive system of classification for them. Some of the …

The two-volume Encyclopedia of Supramolecular Chemistry offers authoritative, centralized
information on a rapidly expanding interdisciplinary field. User-friendly and high-quality …

Abstract This review describes Protease Inhibitors (PIs) which target or inhibit proteases,
protein digesting enzymes. These proteases play a crucial task in many biological events …

Proteases and their natural protein inhibitors are among the most intensively studied protein–
protein complexes. There are about 30 structurally distinct inhibitor families that are able to …

Hirudotherapy (HT) is the application of medicinal leeches (Hirudo medicinalis) for
therapeutic use. It is one of the oldest remedies, being employed by various medicinal …

Metallocarboxpeptidases cleave C-terminal residues from peptide substrates and participate
in a wide range of physiological processes, but they also contribute to human pathology. On …

Metallocarboxypeptidases (MCPs) are commonly regarded as exopeptidases that actively
participate in the digestion of proteins and peptides. In the recent years, however, novel …

Leeches are well-known annelids due to their obligate blood-feeding habits. Some leech
species secrete various biologically active substances which have important medical and …

The medicinal leech Hirudo medicinalis produces various types of proteinase inhibitors:
bdellins (inhibitors of trypsin, plasmin, and acrosin), hirustasin (inhibitor of tissue kallikrein …