Gene Description

Der p 1, a major house dust mite allergen and a secreted papain-like cysteine protease (peptidase C1 family). Produced in the mite digestive tract and excreted in faecal pellets, its proteolytic activity is central to its allergenicity: it cleaves epithelial tight-junction and immune proteins and activates host receptors (e.g. MRGPRX1), promoting allergic sensitization. It is recognized by IgE in the large majority of dust-mite-allergic patients.

Existing Annotations Review

GO Term	Evidence	Action	Reason
GO:0005576 extracellular region	IEA GO_REF:0000044	ACCEPT	Summary: Der p 1 is a secreted/excreted mite protease; extracellular localization is correct. Reason: Secreted in mite faeces; acts in the extracellular space.
GO:0006508 proteolysis	IEA GO_REF:0000002	ACCEPT	Summary: Der p 1 is a proteolytic enzyme; proteolysis is its core biological process. Reason: Direct consequence of its cysteine-protease activity. Supporting Evidence: file:DERPT/Derp1/Derp1-uniprot.txt Thiol protease, with a preference for substrates with a large
GO:0008234 cysteine-type peptidase activity	IEA GO_REF:0000002	ACCEPT	Summary: Electronic assignment of cysteine-protease activity, consistent with the peptidase C1 family. Reason: Der p 1 is a papain-family thiol protease. Supporting Evidence: file:DERPT/Derp1/Derp1-uniprot.txt Belongs to the peptidase C1 family.
GO:0005576 extracellular region	EXP PMID:16148130 The crystal structure of recombinant proDer p 1, a major hou...	ACCEPT	Summary: Experimentally localized to the extracellular (excreted) mite material. Reason: Experimental support for extracellular localization.
GO:0008234 cysteine-type peptidase activity	IDA PMID:28768771 Activation of mas-related G-protein-coupled receptors by the...	ACCEPT	Summary: Direct demonstration of thiol-protease activity (preference for large hydrophobic or basic P2 residues); Der p 1 cleaves and activates the host receptor MRGPRX1. Reason: Experimentally demonstrated cysteine-protease activity; the core molecular function. Supporting Evidence: file:DERPT/Derp1/Derp1-uniprot.txt Thiol protease, with a preference for substrates with a large

Core Functions

Secreted papain-like cysteine protease; its proteolysis of host epithelial and immune substrates (and receptor activation) underlies its potent allergenicity.

Molecular Function:

cysteine-type peptidase activity

Directly Involved In:

proteolysis

Cellular Locations:

extracellular region

Supporting Evidence:

file:DERPT/Derp1/Derp1-uniprot.txt
Thiol protease, with a preference for substrates with a large

References

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Suggested Experiments

Experiment: Compare wild-type and catalytically-inactive (active-site Cys mutant) Der p 1 in epithelial tight-junction cleavage and murine sensitization assays.

Hypothesis: Der p 1 protease activity is required for its adjuvant/sensitizing effect.

Type: structure-function / in vivo assay

📚 Additional Documentation

Notes

(Derp1-notes.md)

Derp1 — curation notes (ALLERGENS backlog: mite/birch)

Der p 1, major house dust mite allergen; secreted papain-like cysteine protease (peptidase C1). ACCEPT cysteine-type peptidase activity (IDA) + proteolysis + extracellular. Protease activity (cleaves tight junctions, activates MRGPRX1) underlies allergenicity. Characterized.

Derp1