The collagenolytic action of MMP-1 is regulated by the interaction between the catalytic domain and the hinge region

The role of the hinge region in the unwinding and cleavage of type I collagen by interstitial collagenase (MMP-1) has been studied at 37 °C and pH 7.3. The collagenolytic processing by MMP-1 displays a very similar overall rate for both chains of collagen I, even though the affinity is higher for the α-1 chain and the cleavage rate is faster for the α-2 chain. MMP-1 binding to collagen I brings about a significant unwinding of the triple-helical arrangement only after the first cleavage step of the α-1 and α-2 chains. The proteolytic processing by wild-type MMP-1 on a synthetic substrate and collagen I has been compared with that observed for site-directed mutants obtained either by truncating the hinge region (∆255–272) or by individually replacing the conserved amino acids Val268, Gly272, and Lys277 of the hinge region with residues observed for the corresponding position in stromelysin-1 (MMP-3), a noncollagenolytic metalloproteinase. The ∆256–272 mutant has no collagenolytic activity, clearly demonstrating the crucial role of this region for the enzymatic processing of collagen I. However, among various mutants investigated, only Gly272Asp shows a dramatically reduced enzymatic activity both on the synthetic substrate and on collagen I. This effect, however, is clearly related to the substituting residue, since substitution of Ala or Asn for Gly272 does not have any effect on the kinetic properties of MMP-1. These data suggest that the substrate specificity of MMP-1 is dictated by the reciprocal structural relationships between the catalytic domain and the carboxy-terminal domain through the conformational arrangement of the hinge region.     

Unexpected crucial role of residue 272 in substrate specificity of fibroblast collagenase

Degradation of type I collagen by collagenases is an important part of extracellular remodeling. To understand the role of the hinge region of fibroblast collagenase in its collagenolytic activity, we individually substituted the 10 conserved amino acid residues at positions 264, 266, 268, 296, 272, 277, 284, 289, 307, and 313 in this region of the enzyme by their corresponding residues in MMP-3, a noncollagenolytic matrix metalloproteinase. The general proteolytic and triple helicase activities of all of the enzymes were determined, and their abilities to bind to type I collagen were assessed. Among the mutants, only G272D mutant enzyme exhibited a significant change in type I collagenolysis. The alteration of the Gly(272) to Asp reduced the collagenolytic activity of the enzyme to 13% without affecting its general proteolytic activity, substrate specificity, or the collagen binding ability. The catalytic efficiency of the G272D mutant for the triple helical peptide substrate [C(6)-(GP- Hyp)(4)GPL(Mca)GPQGLRGQL(DPN)GVR(GP-HYP)(4)-NH(2)](3) and the peptide substrate Mca-PLGL(Dpa)AR-NH(2) and its dissociation constant for the triple helical collagen were similar to that of the wild type enzyme, indicating that the presence of this residue in fibroblast collagenase is particularly important for the efficient cleavage of type I collagen. Gly(272) is evidently responsible for the hinge-bending motion that is essential for allowing the COOH-terminal domain to present the collagen to the active site.     

Pivotal molecular determinants of peptidic and collagen triple helicase activities reside in the S3' subsite of matrix metalloproteinase 8 (MMP-8): the role of hydrogen bonding potential of ASN188 and TYR189 and the connecting cis bond

The mechanism of triple helical collagen unwinding and cleavage by collagenases in the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) family is complex and remains enigmatic. Recent reports show that triple helicase activity is initiated by the hemopexin C domain of membrane type 1-MMP, whereas catalytically inactive full-length interstitial collagenase (MMP-1) exhibits full triple helicase functionality pointing to active site determinants that are needed to complete the triple helicase mechanism. In MMP-8, the neutrophil collagenase, a conserved Gly at the S(3)' substrate specificity subsite is replaced by Asn(188) that forms a highly unusual cis bond with Tyr(189), a conserved active site residue in the collagenases. Only in MMP-1 is the S(3)' Gly also replaced, and there too a cis configured Glu-Tyr occurs. Thus, this high energy peptide bond coupled to the canonical Tyr may be important in the collagenolytic process. In a systematic mutagenesis investigation of the MMP-8 S(3)' subsite we found that introducing an S(3)' Gly(188) into MMP-8 reduced collagenolytic efficiency by approximately 30% with a corresponding reduction in cleavage of a synthetic peptide fluorescence resonance energy transfer substrate analogue of the alpha2(I) collagen chain cleavage site. The substitution of Asn(188) to Leu, a hydrophobic residue of similar size to the highly polar Asn and designed to retain the cis bond, revealed the importance of hydrogen bonding to bound substrate with both collagenolytic and peptidic activities reduced approximately 3-fold. In contrast, the specificity for type I collagen of the mutant Y189F dropped 3-fold without any significant alteration in general peptidase activity. Therefore, S(3)' and in particular the hydrogen bonding potential of Tyr(189) is a specific molecular determinant for MMP-8 triple helicase activity. The cis bond connection to Asn(188) juxtaposes these two side chains for closely spaced hydrogen bonding with substrate that improves collagenolytic and general catalytic efficiency that could be exploited for new collagenase-specific inhibitor drugs.     

Selective modulation of matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) functions via exosite inhibition

Unregulated activities of the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) family have been implicated in primary and metastatic tumor growth, angiogenesis, and pathological degradation of extracellular matrix components, such as collagen and laminin. However, clinical trials with small molecule MMP inhibitors have been largely unsuccessful, with a lack of selectivity considered particularly problematic. Enhanced selectivity could be achieved by taking advantage of differences in substrate secondary binding sites (exosites) within the MMP family. In this study, triple-helical substrates and triple-helical transition state analog inhibitors have been utilized to dissect the roles of potential exosites in MMP-9 collagenolytic behavior. Substrate and inhibitor sequences were based on either the alpha1(V)436-450 collagen region, which is hydrolyzed at the Gly (downward arrow) Val bond selectively by MMP-2 and MMP-9, or the Gly (downward arrow) Leu cleavage site within the consensus interstitial collagen sequence alpha1(I-III)769-783, which is hydrolyzed by MMP-1, MMP-2, MMP-8, MMP-9, MMP-13, and MT1-MMP. Exosites within the MMP-9 fibronectin II inserts were found to be critical for interactions with type V collagen model substrates and inhibitors and to participate in interactions with an interstitial (types I-III) collagen model inhibitor. A triple-helical peptide incorporating a fibronectin II insert-binding sequence was constructed and found to selectively inhibit MMP-9 type V collagen-based activities compared with interstitial collagen-based activities. This represents the first example of differential inhibition of collagenolytic activities and was achieved via an exosite-binding triple-helical peptide.     

Collagenase unwinds triple-helical collagen prior to peptide bond hydrolysis

Breakdown of triple-helical interstitial collagens is essential in embryonic development, organ morphogenesis and tissue remodelling and repair. Aberrant collagenolysis may result in diseases such as arthritis, cancer, atherosclerosis, aneurysm and fibrosis. In vertebrates, it is initiated by collagenases belonging to the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) family. The three-dimensional structure of a prototypic collagenase, MMP-1, indicates that the substrate-binding site of the enzyme is too narrow to accommodate triple-helical collagen. Here we report that collagenases bind and locally unwind the triple-helical structure before hydrolyzing the peptide bonds. Mutation of the catalytically essential residue Glu200 of MMP-1 to Ala resulted in a catalytically inactive enzyme, but in its presence noncollagenolytic proteinases digested collagen into typical 3/4 and 1/4 fragments, indicating that the MMP-1(E200A) mutant unwinds the triple-helical collagen. The study also shows that MMP-1 preferentially interacts with the alpha2(I) chain of type I collagen and cleaves the three alpha chains in succession. Our results throw light on the basic mechanisms that control a wide range of biological and pathological processes associated with tissue remodelling.     

Identification of the (183)RWTNNFREY(191) region as a critical segment of matrix metalloproteinase 1 for the expression of collagenolytic activity

Matrix metalloproteinase 1 (MMP-1) cleaves types I, II, and III collagen triple helices into (3/4) and (1/4) fragments. To understand the structural elements responsible for this activity, various lengths of MMP-1 segments have been introduced into MMP-3 (stromelysin 1) starting from the C-terminal end. MMP-3/MMP-1 chimeras and variants were overexpressed in Escherichia coli, folded from inclusion bodies, and isolated as zymogens. After activation, recombinant chimeras were tested for their ability to digest triple helical type I collagen at 25 degrees C. The results indicate that the nine residues (183)RWTNNFREY(191) located between the fifth beta-strand and the second alpha-helix in the catalytic domain of MMP-1 are critical for the expression of collagenolytic activity. Mutation of Tyr(191) of MMP-1 to Thr, the corresponding residue in MMP-3, reduced collagenolytic activity about 5-fold. Replacement of the nine residues with those of the MMP-3 sequence further decreased the activity 2-fold. Those variants exhibited significant changes in substrate specificity and activity against gelatin and synthetic substrates, further supporting the notion that this region plays a critical role in the expression of collagenolytic activity. However, introduction of this sequence into MMP-3 or a chimera consisting of the catalytic domain of MMP-3 with the hinge region and the C-terminal hemopexin domain of MMP-1 did not express any collagenolytic activity. It is therefore concluded that RWTNNFREY, together with the C-terminal hemopexin domain, is essential for collagenolytic activity but that additional structural elements in the catalytic domain are also required. These elements probably act in a concerted manner to cleave the collagen triple helix.     

The roles of substrate thermal stability and P2 and P1' subsite identity on matrix metalloproteinase triple-helical peptidase activity and collagen specificity

The hydrolysis of collagen (collagenolysis) is one of the committed steps in extracellular matrix turnover. Within the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) family distinct preferences for collagen types are seen. The substrate determinants that may guide these specificities are unknown. In this study, we have utilized 12 triple-helical substrates in combination with 10 MMPs to better define the contributions of substrate sequence and thermal stability toward triple helicase activity and collagen specificity. In general, MMP-13 was found to be distinct from MMP-8 and MT1-MMP(Delta279-523), in that enhanced substrate thermal stability has only a modest effect on activity, regardless of sequence. This result correlates to the unique collagen specificity of MMP-13 compared with MMP-8 and MT1-MMP, in that MMP-13 hydrolyzes type II collagen efficiently, whereas MMP-8 and MT1-MMP are similar in their preference for type I collagen. In turn, MMP-1 was the least efficient of the collagenolytic MMPs at processing increasingly thermal stable triple helices and thus favors type III collagen, which has a relatively flexible cleavage site. Gelatinases (MMP-2 and MMP-9(Delta444-707)) appear incapable of processing more stable helices and are thus mechanistically distinct from collagenolytic MMPs. The collagen specificity of MMPs appears to be based on a combination of substrate sequence and thermal stability. Analysis of the hydrolysis of triple-helical peptides by an MMP mutant indicated that Tyr(210) functions in triple helix binding and hydrolysis, but not in processing triple helices of increasing thermal stabilities. Further exploration of MMP active sites and exosites, in combination with substrate conformation, may prove valuable for additional dissection of collagenolysis and yield information useful in the design of more selective MMP inhibitors.     

Kinetic analysis of matrix metalloproteinase activity using fluorogenic triple-helical substrates

Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) family members are involved in the physiological remodeling of tissues and embryonic development as well as pathological destruction of extracellular matrix components. To study the mechanisms of MMP action on collagenous substrates, we have constructed homotrimeric, fluorogenic triple-helical peptide (THP) models of the MMP-1 cleavage site in type II collagen. The substrates were designed to incorporate the fluorophore/quencher pair of (7-methoxycoumarin-4-yl)acetyl (Mca) and N-2,4-dinitrophenyl (Dnp) in the P(5) and P(5)' positions, respectively. In addition, Arg was incorporated in the P(2)' and P(8)' positions to enhance enzyme activity and improve substrate solubility. The desired sequences were Gly-Pro-Lys(Mca)-Gly-Pro-Gln-Gly approximately Leu-Arg-Gly-Gln-Lys(Dnp)-Gly-Ile/Val-Arg. Two fluorogenic substrates were prepared, one using a covalent branching protocol (fTHP-1) and one using a peptide self-assembly approach (fTHP-3). An analogous single-stranded substrate (fSSP-3) was also synthesized. Both THPs were hydrolyzed by MMP-1 at the Gly approximately Leu bond, analogous to the bond cleaved in the native collagen. The individual kinetic parameters for MMP-1 hydrolysis of fTHP-3 were k(cat) = 0.080 s(-1) and K(M) = 61.2 microM. Subsequent investigations showed fTHP-3 hydrolysis by MMP-2, MMP-3, MMP-13, a C-terminal domain-deleted MMP-1 [MMP-1(Delta(243-450))], and a C-terminal domain-deleted MMP-3 [MMP-3(Delta(248-460))]. The order of k(cat)/K(M) values was MMP-13 > MMP-1 approximately MMP-1(Delta(243-450)) approximately MMP-2 > MMP-3 approximately MMP-3(Delta(248-460)). Studies on the effect of temperature on fTHP-3 and fSSP-3 hydrolysis by MMP-1 showed that the activation energies between these two substrates differed by 3.4-fold, similar to the difference in activation energies for MMP-1 hydrolysis of type I collagen and gelatin. This indicates that fluorogenic triple-helical substrates mimic the behavior of the native collagen substrate and may be useful for the investigation of collagenase triple-helical activity.     

Matrix metalloproteinase triple-helical peptidase activities are differentially regulated by substrate stability

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are involved in physiological remodeling as well as pathological destruction of tissues. The turnover of the collagen triple-helical structure has been ascribed to several members of the MMP family, but the determinants for collagenolytic specificity have not been identified. The present study has compared the triple-helical peptidase activities of MMP-1 and MMP-14 (membrane-type 1 MMP; MT1-MMP). The ability of each enzyme to efficiently hydrolyze the triple helix was quantified using chemically synthesized fluorogenic triple-helical substrates that, via addition of N-terminal alkyl chains, differ in their thermal stabilities. One series of substrates was modeled after a collagenolytic MMP consensus cleavage site from types I-III collagen, while the other series had a single substitution in the P(1)' subsite of the consensus sequence. The substitution of Cys(4-methoxybenzyl) for Leu in the P(1)' subsite was greatly favored by MMP-14 but disfavored by MMP-1. An increase in substrate triple-helical thermal stability led to the decreased ability of the enzyme to cleave such substrates, but with a much more pronounced effect for MMP-1. Increased thermal stability was detrimental to enzyme turnover of substrate (k(cat)), but not binding (K(M)). Activation energies were considerably lower for MMP-14 hydrolysis of triple-helical substrates compared with MMP-1. Overall, MMP-1 was found to be less efficient at processing triple-helical structures than MMP-14. These results demonstrate that collagenolytic MMPs have subtle differences in their abilities to hydrolyze triple helices and may explain the relative collagen specificity of MMP-1.     

Heterotrimeric collagen peptides as fluorogenic collagenase substrates: synthesis, conformational properties, and enzymatic digestion

The collagenase cleavage site of collagen type I, i.e., the sequence portions 772-784 (P(4)-P(9)') and 772-785 (P(4)-P(10)') of the two alpha1-chains and the sequence portion 772-784 (P(4)-P(9)') of the alpha2-chain, were assembled in an alpha1alpha2alpha1' register by C-terminal cross-linking of these peptides with an artificial cystine knot. The triple-helical conformation of the construct was stabilized by N-terminal extensions with (Gly-Pro-Hyp)(5) repeats. The gaps in the sequence alignment were filled up, and the alpha1-chain was dansylated and the alpha1'-chain was acylated with a tryptophan residue to place in spatial proximity the two chromophores for an efficient fluorescence resonance energy transfer. Although the incorporation of the two N-terminal chromophores leads to partial destabilization of the overall triple-helical fold, the heterotrimer behaved as a collagen-like substrate of the matrix metalloproteinases MMP-1 and MMP-13. Cleavage of the fluorogenic heterotrimer leads to a 6-fold increase in fluorescence intensity, thus making it a useful fluorogenic substrate for interstitial collagenases. With this folded heterotrimeric collagen molecule it was shown that fluorescence resonance energy transfer, as applied so far only for the design of linear fluorogenic enzyme substrates, can also be exploited in conformation dependency.     

The Recognition of Collagen and Triple-helical Toolkit Peptides by MMP-13: SEQUENCE SPECIFICITY FOR BINDING AND CLEAVAGE*

Remodeling of collagen by matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) is crucial to tissue homeostasis and repair. MMP-13 is a collagenase with a substrate preference for collagen II over collagens I and III. It recognizes a specific, well-known site in the tropocollagen molecule where its binding locally perturbs the triple helix, allowing the catalytic domain of the active enzyme to cleave the collagen α chains sequentially, at Gly⁷⁷⁵–Leu⁷⁷⁶ in collagen II. However, the specific residues upon which collagen recognition depends within and surrounding this locus have not been systematically mapped. Using our triple-helical peptide Collagen Toolkit libraries in solid-phase binding assays, we found that MMP-13 shows little affinity for Collagen Toolkit III, but binds selectively to two triple-helical peptides of Toolkit II. We have identified the residues required for the adhesion of both proMMP-13 and MMP-13 to one of these, Toolkit peptide II-44, which contains the canonical collagenase cleavage site. MMP-13 was unable to bind to a linear peptide of the same sequence as II-44. We also discovered a second binding site near the N terminus of collagen II (starting at helix residue 127) in Toolkit peptide II-8. The pattern of binding of the free hemopexin domain of MMP-13 was similar to that of the full-length enzyme, but the free catalytic subunit bound none of our peptides. The susceptibility of Toolkit peptides to proteolysis in solution was independent of the very specific recognition of immobilized peptides by MMP-13; the enzyme proved able to cleave a range of dissolved collagen peptides.     

Characterization of a rainbow trout matrix metalloproteinase capable of degrading type I collagen.

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are widely distributed in vertebrate tissues and form a large family consisting of at least four distinct subfamilies. Higher vertebrate MMP-13 is well-known as collagenase-3, which represents the third member of a collagenase subfamily. In this study, we cloned cDNA coding for a unique fish homologue of human MMP-13 from a rainbow trout fibroblast cDNA library. The cDNA was 2.1 kb long and contained an open reading frame encoding a protein of 475 amino acids. The catalytic domain of the protein was 66% identical to the human counterpart with the greatest degree of identity occurring in the zinc binding site. In addition, it possessed three amino-acid residues (Tyr122, Asp233 and Gly235) characteristic of the collagenase subfamily, together with a six residue insertion which did not occur in the collagenase subfamily. Then the isolated cDNA was expressed in Escherichia coli and the recombinant protein was found to degrade gelatin and skin type I collagen. It is worth noting that rainbow trout type I collagen was more susceptible to proteolysis with the recombinant protein when compared with the calf one. It appeared that the recombinant protein also cleaved the nonhelical regions of rainbow trout muscle type V collagen. These results have revealed that the cDNA encodes a unique MMP-13 of rainbow trout. This is the first report of cDNA coding for fish MMP capable of degrading type I collagen.     

Activity of matrix metalloproteinase-9 against native collagen types I and III

Interstitial collagen types I, II and III are highly resistant to proteolytic attack, due to their triple helical structure, but can be cleaved by matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) collagenases at a specific site, approximately three-quarters of the length from the N-terminus of each chain. MMP-2 and -9 are closely related at the structural level, but MMP-2, and not MMP-9, has been previously described as a collagenase. This report investigates the ability of purified recombinant human MMP-9 produced in insect cells to degrade native collagen types I and III. Purified MMP-9 was able to cleave the soluble, monomeric forms of native collagen types I and III at 37 degrees C and 25 degrees C, respectively. Activity against collagens I and III was abolished by metalloproteinase inhibitors and was not present in the concentrated crude medium of mock-transfected cells, demonstrating that it was MMP-9-derived. Mutated, collagenase-resistant type I collagen was not digested by MMP-9, indicating that the three-quarters/one-quarter locus was the site of initial attack. Digestion of type III collagen generated a three-quarter fragment, as shown by comparison with MMP-1-mediated cleavage. These data demonstrate that MMP-9, like MMP-2, is able to cleave collagens I and III in their native form and in a manner that is characteristic of the unique collagenolytic activity of MMP collagenases.     

Site-directed mutageneses of rat liver cytochrome P-450d: catalytic activities toward benzphetamine and 7-ethoxycoumarin

Catalytic activities toward benzphetamine and 7-ethoxycoumarin of 11 distal mutants, 9 proximal mutants, and 3 aromatic mutants of rat liver cytochrome P-450d were studied. A distal mutant Thr319Ala was not catalytically active toward benzphetamine, while this mutant retained activity toward 7-ethoxycoumarin. Distal mutants Gly316Glu, Thr319Ala, and Thr322Ala displayed higher activities (kcat/Km) toward 7-ethoxycoumarin that were 2.4-4.7-fold higher than that of the wild-type enzyme. Although kcat/Km values of four multiple distal mutants toward benzphetamine were less than half that of the wild type, activities of these mutants toward 7-ethoxycoumarin were almost the same as or higher than the wild-type activity toward this substrate. The distal double mutant Glu318Asp, Phe325Tyr showed 6-fold higher activity than the wild-type P-450d toward 7-ethoxycoumarin. Activities of the proximal mutants Lys453Glu and Arg455Gly toward both substrates were much lower (less than one-seventh) than the corresponding wild-type activities. Catalytic activities of three aromatic mutants, Phe425Leu, Pro427Leu, and Phe430Leu, toward benzphetamine were less than 7% of that of the wild type, while the activities of these aromatic mutants toward 7-ethoxycoumarin were more than 2.5 times higher than the wild-type activity toward this substrate. From these findings, in conjunction with a molecular model for P-450d, we suggest that (1) the relative importance to catalysis of various distal helix amino acids differs depending on the substrate and that these differences are associated with the size, shape, and flexibility of the substrate and (2) the proximal residue Lys453 appears to play a critical role in the catalytic activity of P-450d, perhaps by participating in forming an intermolecular electron-transfer complex.     

Triple-helical peptide analysis of collagenolytic protease activity

Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) family members are involved in the physiological remodeling of tissues and embryonic development as well as pathological destruction of extracellular matrix components. To study the mechanisms of MMP action on collagenous substrates, non-fluorogenic and fluorogenic triple-helical peptide models of MMP-1 cleavage sites in interstitial collagens have been constructed. Triple-helical peptides were assembled by either (a) covalent branching or (b) self-association driven by hydrophobic interactions. Fluorogenic triple-helical peptide (fTHP) substrates contained the fluorophore/quencher pair of (7-methoxycoumarin-4-yl)acetyl (Mca) and N-2,4-dinitrophenyl (Dnp) in the P5 and P5' positions, respectively. Investigation of MMP family hydrolysis of THPs showed kcat/Km values in the order of MMP-13 > MMP-1 approximately MMP-1(delta243-450) approximately MMP-2 > MMP-3. Studies on the effect of temperature on fTHP and an analogous fluorogenic single-stranded peptide (fSSP) hydrolysis by MMP-1 showed that the activation energies between these two substrates differed by 3.4-fold, similar to the difference in activation energies for MMP-1 hydrolysis of type I collagen and gelatin. The general proteases trypsin and thermolysin were also studied for triple-helical peptidase activity. Both of these enzymes exhibited similar activation energies to MMP-1 for hydrolysis of fTHP versus fSSP. These results suggest that 'triple-helical peptidase' activity can be distinguished from 'collagenolytic' activity, and that mechanistically distinct enzymes convergently evolved to develop collagenolytic activity.     

Properties of a collagenolytic enzyme from Bipalium kewense

A collagenolytic enzyme from the land planarian Bipalium kewense has been purified by preparative isoelectric focusing. The enzyme has a molecular weight of 47,000 +/- 2,000 and appears to be dimeric. It has an isoelectric point of 4.6 +/- 0.1 and a high content of acidic amino acids. The amino acid composition of the Bipalium collagenase is similar to that of human skin fibroblast collagenases but clearly different from previously reported collagenolytic proteases from other invertebrates, Uca pugilator and Hypoderma lineatum. In its action on guinea-pig collagen, the enzyme produces distinct products, at low incubation temperatures, different from those produced by vertebrate and other invertebrate collagenolytic enzymes. These products have glycine as their N-terminal amino acids. As determined by viscosity measurements, the Bipalium collagenase is more active on invertebrate, earthworm, collagen than it is on the vertebrate, Type I guinea-pig skin, collagen. The Bipalium collagenase differs from both bacterial and vertebrate collagenases as well as from invertebrate, collagenolytic serine proteases.     

Characterization of human aggrecanase 2 (ADAM-TS5): substrate specificity studies and comparison with aggrecanase 1 (ADAM-TS4).

ADAM-TS5 (aggrecanase 2), one of two cartilage aggrecanases is a member of the ADAM protein family. Like ADAM-TS4 (aggrecanase 1) the enzyme cleaves cartilage aggrecan at the Glu(373)-Ala(374) bond, a marker of aggrecanase activity. In this study we have characterized the substrate specificity of ADAM-TS5 and compared it with that of ADAM-TS4. The recombinant human ADAM-TS5, like ADAM-TS4 cleaves aggrecan at Glu(1480)-Gly(1481), Glu(1667)-Gly(1668), Glu(1771)-Ala(1772) and Glu(1871)-Leu(1872) bonds more readily than at the Glu(373)-Ala(374) bond. In addition, ADAM-TS5 exhibited an additional site of cleavage in the region spanning residues Gly(1481) and Glu(1667), representing a unique cleavage of ADAM-TS5. ADAM-TS5 cleaved aggrecan approximately 2-fold slower than ADAM-TS4. Neither ADAM-TS5 nor ADAM-TS4 was able to cleave the extracellular matrix proteins fibronectin, thrombospondin, type I collagen, type II collagen, gelatin or general protein substrates such as casein and transferrin. Finally, the zymogen of stromelysin (MMP-3) was not activated by either ADAM-TS4 or ADAM-TS5.     

Differentiation of secreted and membrane-type matrix metalloproteinase activities based on substitutions and interruptions of triple-helical sequences

The turnover of the collagen triple-helical structure (collagenolysis) is a tightly regulated process in normal physiology and has been ascribed to a small number of proteases. Several members of the matrix metalloproteinase (MMPs) family possess collagenolytic activity, and the mechanisms by which these enzymes process triple helices are beginning to be unraveled. The present study has utilized two triple-helical sequences to compare the cleavage-site specificities of 10 MMPs. One substrate featured a continuous Gly-Xxx-Yyy sequence (Pro-Leu-Gly approximately Met-Arg-Gly), while the other incorporated an interruption in the Gly-Xxx-Yyy repeat (Pro-Val-Asn approximately Phe-Arg-Gly). Both sequences were selectively cleaved by MMP-13 while in linear form, but neither proved to be selective within a triple helix. This suggests that the conformational presentation of substrate sequences to a MMP active site is critical for enzyme specificity, in that activities differ when sequences are presented from an unwound triple helix versus an independent single strand. Differences in specificity between secreted and membrane-type (MT) MMPs were also observed for both sequences, where MMP-2 and MT-MMPs showed an ability to hydrolyze a triple helix at an additional site (Gly-Gln bond). Interruption of the triple helix had different effects on secreted MMPs and MT-MMPs, because MT-MMPs could not hydrolyze the Asn-Phe bond but instead cleaved the triple helix closer to the C terminus at a Gly-Gln bond. It is possible that MT-MMPs have a requirement for Gly in the P1 subsite to be able to efficiently process a triple-helical molecule. Analysis of individual kinetic parameters and activation energies indicated different substrate preferences within secreted MMPs, because MMP-13 preferred the interrupted sequence, while MMP-8 showed little discrimination between non-interrupted and interrupted triple helices. On the basis of the present and prior studies, we can assign unique triple-helical peptidase behaviors to the collagenolytic MMPs. Such differences may be significant for understanding MMP mechanisms of action and aid in the development of selective MMP inhibitors.     

Structural and mechanistic insights into collagen degradation by a bacterial collagenolytic serine protease in the subtilisin family

A number of proteases in the subtilisin family derived from environmental or pathogenic microorganisms have been reported to be collagenolytic serine proteases. However, their collagen degradation mechanisms remain unclear. Here, the degradation mechanism of type I collagen fibres by the S8 collagenolytic protease MCP‐01, from Pseudoalteromonas sp. SM9913, was studied. Atomic force microscopy observation and biochemical analysis confirmed that MCP‐01 progressively released single fibrils from collagen fibres and released collagen monomers from fibrils mainly by hydrolysing proteoglycans and telopeptides in the collagen fibres. Structural and mutational analyses indicated that an enlarged substrate‐binding pocket, mainly composed of loops 7, 9 and 11, is necessary for collagen recognition and that the acidic and aromatic residues on these loops form a negatively charged, hydrophobic environment for collagen binding. MCP‐01 displayed a non‐strict preference for peptide bonds with Pro or basic residues at the P1 site and/or Gly at the P1’ site in collagen. His211 is a key residue for the P1‐basic‐residue preference of MCP‐01. Our study gives structural and mechanistic insights into collagen degradation of the S8 collagenolytic protease, which is helpful in developing therapeutics for diseases with S8 collagenolytic proteases as pathogenic factors and in studying environmental organic nitrogen degradation mechanisms.     

Demonstration of collagenase activity in adult Strongyloides ratti (Nematoda:Strongyloididae) and its absence in the infective larvae

Larvae and adults of Strongyloides ratti were examined for collagenolytic activity on 14C proline-labelled, native, guinea-pig skin collagen substrate. The activity was measured by determining either the amount of hydroxyproline released or the amount of radioactivity in the solubilized fraction of the collagen substrate. Bacterial collagenase was used for enzyme control and trypsin served as substrate control. No collagenolytic activity was found in living larvae, their extracts or metabolites. The collagenolytic activity of the metabolites of adult worms appeared weak, whereas that of the extracts of the adults was pronounced. It is suggested that collagenase is active in the adult females at the time of migration in the intestinal mucosa during oviposition.