Protein disulfide isomerase assists protein folding as both an isomerase and a chaperone

Abstract

Protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) is the physiological catalyst of native disulfide bond formation of nascent peptides in the cells. As a foldase, PDI has both isomerase and chaperone activities. The chaperone activity is intrinsic and independent of its isomerase activity. Both chaperone and isomerase activities are required for PDI to assist folding of denatured and reduced disulfide-containing proteins. PDI may have great applications in protein production by bioengineering for its function as a foldase.