Nuclear inclusion a endopeptidase

Nuclear-inclusion-a endopeptidase (EC 3.4.22.44, potyvirus NIa protease) is a protease enzyme found in potyviruses. This enzyme catalyses the following chemical reaction:

Hydrolyses glutaminyl bonds, and activity is further restricted by preferences for the amino acids in P6 - P1' that vary with the species of potyvirus. e.g. Glu-Xaa-Xaa-Tyr-Xaa-Gln (Ser or Gly) for the enzyme from tobacco etch virus.

The enzyme is used encoded in vectors for the artificial expression of recombinant fusion proteins (see TEV protease).