The enzyme cleaves Lys-Arg and Arg-Ser bonds. It activates, in a reciprocal reaction, factor XII after its binding to a negatively charged surface. It also releases bradykinin from HMW kininogen and may also play a role in the renin-angiotensin system by converting prorenin into renin.
[1]Gene structure and chromosomal localization of plasma kallikrein.Beaubien G., Rosinski-Chupin I., Mattei M.-G., Mbikay M., Chretien M., Seidah N.G. Biochemistry 30:1628-1635(1991) [2] The cDNA structure of rat plasma kallikrein.Seidah N.G., Ladenheim