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Leader sequences are not signal peptides

Nature Biotechnology volume 22, page 1502 (2004)Cite this article

To the editor:

An article in the June issue (Nat. Biotechnol. 22, 773–774, 2004) highlights the challenge of producing a shared vocabulary that biologists can use to communicate their results effectively, explore data and extend scientific investigations. The success of 'bio-ontologies' will be dependent on the use of clearly defined scientific terms. In this context, we feel that ambiguities in the usage of the terms 'leader sequences' and 'signal peptides' require clarification.

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Figure 1: Typical structure of a signal peptide and of a leader sequence.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Micromet AG, Staffelseestrasse 2, Munich, D-81477, Germany

    Michael Mølhøj

  2. Pharmexa A/S, Kogle Allé 6, Hørsholm, DK-2970, Denmark

    Florence Dal Degan

Authors
  1. Michael Mølhøj
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  2. Florence Dal Degan
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Mølhøj, M., Degan, F. Leader sequences are not signal peptides. Nat Biotechnol 22, 1502 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1038/nbt1204-1502

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