Collagenases are enzymes that break the peptide bonds in collagen. They assist in destroying extracellular structures in the pathogenesis of bacteria such as Clostridium. They are considered a virulence factor, facilitating the spread of gas gangrene. They normally target the connective tissue in muscle cells and other body organs.[1]

Matrix metallopeptidase 1 (interstitial collagenase)
Identifiers
SymbolMMP1
NCBI gene4312
HGNC7155
OMIM120353
RefSeqNM_002421
UniProtP03956
Other data
EC number3.4.24.7
LocusChr. 11 q21-q22
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StructuresSwiss-model
DomainsInterPro
Matrix metallopeptidase 8 (neutrophil collagenase)
Identifiers
SymbolMMP8
NCBI gene4317
HGNC7175
OMIM120355
RefSeqNM_002424
UniProtP22894
Other data
EC numberChromosome = 11 3.4.24.3 Chromosome = 11
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StructuresSwiss-model
DomainsInterPro
Peptidase M9
Identifiers
SymbolPeptidase M9
PfamPF01752
Pfam clanCL0126
InterProIPR013510
MEROPSM9
Available protein structures:
Pfam  structures / ECOD  
PDBRCSB PDB; PDBe; PDBj
PDBsumstructure summary

Collagen, a key component of the animal extracellular matrix, is made through cleavage of pro-collagen by collagenase once it has been secreted from the cell. This stops large structures from forming inside the cell itself.

In addition to being produced by some bacteria, collagenase can be made by the body as part of its normal immune response. This production is induced by cytokines, which stimulate cells such as fibroblasts and osteoblasts, and can cause indirect tissue damage.[citation needed]

Therapeutic uses

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Collagenases have been approved for medical uses for:

The MEROPS M9 family

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This group of metallopeptidases constitutes the MEROPS peptidase family M9, subfamilies M9A and M9B (microbial collagenase, clan MA(E)). The protein fold of the peptidase domain for members of this family resembles that of thermolysin, the type example for clan MA and the predicted active site residues for members of this family and thermolysin occur in the motif HEXXH.[3]

Microbial collagenases have been identified from bacteria of both the Vibrio and Clostridium genera. Collagenase is used during bacterial attack to degrade the collagen barrier of the host during invasion. Vibrio bacteria are sometimes used in hospitals to remove dead tissue from burns and ulcers. Clostridium histolyticum is a pathogen that causes gas gangrene; nevertheless, the isolated collagenase has been used to treat bed sores. Collagen cleavage occurs at an Xaa+Got in Vibrio bacteria and at Yaa+Gly bonds in Clostridium collagenases.[citation needed]

Analysis of the primary structure of the gene product from Clostridium perfringens has revealed that the enzyme is produced with a stretch of 86 residues that contain a putative signal sequence.[4] Within this stretch is found PLGP, an amino acid sequence typical of collagenase substrates. This sequence may thus be implicated in self-processing of the collagenase.[4]

Metalloproteases are the most diverse of the seven main types of protease, with more than 50 families identified to date. In these enzymes, a divalent cation, usually zinc, activates the water molecule. The metal ion is held in place by amino acid ligands, usually three in number. The known metal ligands are His, Glu, Asp, or Lys and at least one other residue is required for catalysis, which may play an electrophillic role. Of the known metalloproteases, around half contain an HEXXH motif, which has been shown in crystallographic studies to form part of the metal-binding site.[3] The HEXXH motif is relatively common, but can be more stringently defined for metalloproteases as 'abXHEbbHbc', where 'a' is most often valine or threonine and forms part of the S1' subsite in thermolysin and neprilysin, 'b' is an uncharged residue, and 'c' a hydrophobic residue. Proline is never found in this site, possibly because it would break the helical structure adopted by this motif in metalloproteases.[3]

Other uses

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Collagenases may be used for tenderizing meat in a manner similar to widely used tenderizers papain, bromelain and ficain.[5]

See also

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References

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This article incorporates text from the public domain Pfam and InterPro: IPR013510
  1. ^ Gerard J. Tortora, Berdell R. Funke, Cristine L. Case (2007). Microbiology: an introduction. Pearson Benjamin Cummings. ISBN 978-0-321-39603-7.
  2. ^ Riley KN, Herman IM (2005). "Collagenase promotes the cellular responses to injury and wound healing in vivo". J Burns Wounds. 4: e8. PMC 1501117. PMID 16921413.
  3. ^ a b c Rawlings ND, Barrett AJ (1995). "Evolutionary families of metallopeptidases". Proteolytic Enzymes: Aspartic and Metallo Peptidases. Methods in Enzymology. Vol. 248. pp. 183–228. doi:10.1016/0076-6879(95)48015-3. ISBN 9780121821494. PMID 7674922.
  4. ^ a b Matsushita O, Yoshihara K, Katayama S, Minami J, Okabe A (January 1994). "Purification and characterization of Clostridium perfringens 120-kilodalton collagenase and nucleotide sequence of the corresponding gene". J. Bacteriol. 176 (1): 149–56. doi:10.1128/jb.176.1.149-156.1994. PMC 205026. PMID 8282691.
  5. ^ Zhao GY, Zhou MY, Zhao HL, Chen XL, Xie BB, Zhang XY, He HL, Zhou BC, Zhang YZ (2012-10-15). "Tenderization effect of cold-adapted collagenolytic protease MCP-01 on beef meat at low temperature and its mechanism". Food Chemistry. 134 (4): 1738–1744. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2012.03.118. ISSN 0308-8146. PMID 23442615.
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