Specificity and some physical properties of cathepsin D from bovine uterus and dental pulp

The action of uterine cathepsin D on the insulin A-chain (S-sulfo) and porcine glucagon was compared with the action of bovine dental pulp cathepsin on the same substrates. Differences observed with respect to molecular and catalytic properties suggest that different gene products (coding for the same function) are used during cell differentiation.