Peterle et al. show that a subtilisin like serine protease secreted from gut microbiota Bacillus subtilis cleaves the wild-type human transthyretin (hTTR) to generate an amyloidogenic peptide. High propensity of the hTTR fragment to form pathogenic protein aggregates implicates the serine protease in the pathogenesis of acquired senile systemic amyloidosis.
- Daniele Peterle
- Giulia Pontarollo
- Vincenzo De Filippis