| abstract |
Here we describe the molecular identification of a cDNA encoding a novel serine protease we have termed protease EOS. The deduced amino acid sequence, and it alignment with other well-characterized serine proteases indicates that it is a member of the S1 serine protease family. We have found that the protease EOS mRNA is expressed in platelets and leukocytes and more specifically eosinophils. Although this protease is abundantly expressed in ovary, retina and stomach, where it may perform important functions, its expression in platelets and certain cells of the immune system suggests that it may play roles in thrombosis and in the immune process. Enzymatically active protease EOS is amenable to further biochemical analyses for the identification of physiological substrates and specific modulators |