Proteolytic enzymes

About: Proteolytic enzymes is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 23096 publications have been published within this topic receiving 835544 citations.

Insights into the role of progranulin in immunity, infection, and inflammation

Abstract: PGRN, a pleiotrophic growth factor, is known to play an important role in the maintenance and regulation of the homeostatic dynamics of normal tissue development, proliferation, regeneration, and the host-defense response and therefore, has been widely studied in the fields of infectious diseases, wound healing, tumorigenesis, and neuroproliferative and degenerative diseases. PGRN has also emerged as a multifaceted immune-regulatory molecule through regulating the signaling pathways known to be critical for immunology, especially TNF/TNFR signaling. In this review, we start with updates about the interplays of PGRN with ECM proteins, proteolytic enzymes, inflammatory cytokines, and cell-surface receptors, as well as various pathophysiological processes involved. We then review the data supporting an emerging role of PGRN in the fields of the "Cubic of I", namely, immunity, infection, and inflammation, with special focus on its regulation of autoimmune syndromes. We conclude with insights into the immunomodulating, anti-inflammatory, therapeutic potential of PGRN in treating diseases with an inflammatory etiology in a vast range of medical specialties.

Integrin expression in human melanoma cells with differing invasive and metastatic properties.

Abstract: During the process of tumor cell invasion and metastasis, tumor cells are known to interact with extracellular matrix proteins, endothelial cells, platelets and other organ-specific structures. Integrins are cell surface molecules which mediate cell-matrix and cell-cell interactions and are likely to be important for tumor cell survival and dissemination. The purpose of this study was to characterize the integrin and proteolytic enzyme repertoire from low (A375P), medium (A375M) and high metastatic (A375SM) human melanoma cell lines. These cell lines are also invasive through human amniotic membranes in vitro and their invasiveness parallels the reported metastatic phenotype. The types and levels of expression of the various integrin receptors were analysed by quantitative immunoprecipitation using a panel of monoclonal antibodies directed to known integrin subunits. In addition, cDNA probes to the integrin subunits were used in quantitative northern blot analysis. These data show that the integrin alpha v beta 3 increases 50- to 100-fold as these cells progress to a more metastatic phenotype. alpha 4 beta 1 levels also appeared to increase several fold, while other beta 1 integrins did not differ in their expression levels. The increased alpha v beta 3 expression in the more metastatic cells resulted in an increased adhesion to vitronectin and fibrinogen substrates in cell attachment assays. However, alpha v- and beta 3-specific antibodies did not inhibit A375 cell invasion through the amnion. Each cell line was found to release similar quantities of a 72-kDa gelatinase/type IV collagenase and tissue type plasminogen activator. These results suggest that during the progression of these tumor cells from a low to high metastatic phenotype, marked changes in integrin expression occurred which may facilitate interactions with platelets, endothelial cells and specific extracellular matrix proteins to promote metastasis.

Comparison of cell-specific activity between free-living and attached bacteria using isolates and natural assemblages.

Abstract: Marine snow aggregates are microbial hotspots that support high bacterial abundance and activities. We conducted laboratory experiments to compare cell-specific bacterial protein production (BPP) and protease activity between free-living and attached bacteria. Natural bacterial assemblages attached to model aggregates (agar spheres) had threefold higher BPP and two orders of magnitude higher protease activity than their free-living counterpart. These observations could be explained by preferential colonization of the agar spheres by bacteria with inherently higher metabolic activity and/or individual bacteria increasing their metabolism upon attachment to surfaces. In subsequent experiments, we used four strains of marine snow bacteria isolates to test the hypothesis that bacteria could up- and down-regulate their metabolism while on and off an aggregate. The protease activity of attached bacteria was 10–20 times higher than that of free-living bacteria, indicating that the individual strains could increase their protease activity within a short time (2 h) upon attachment to surfaces. Agar spheres with embedded diatom cells were colonized faster than plain agar spheres and the attached bacteria were clustered around the agar-embedded diatom cells, indicating a chemosensing response. Increased protease activity and BPP allow attached bacteria to quickly exploit aggregate resources upon attachment, which may accelerate remineralization of marine snow and reduce the downward carbon fluxes.

Exploiting secondary growth in Arabidopsis. Construction of xylem and bark cDNA libraries and cloning of three xylem endopeptidases.

Abstract: The root-hypocotyl of Arabidopsis produces a relatively large amount of secondary vascular tissue when senescence is delayed by the removal of inflorescences, and plants are grown at low population density. Peptidase zymograms prepared from isolated xylem and phloem revealed the existence of distinct proteolytic enzyme profiles within these tissues. cDNA libraries were constructed from isolated xylem and bark of the root-hypocotyl and screened for cDNAs coding for cysteine, serine, and aspartic peptidases. Three cDNAs, two putative papain-type cysteine peptidases (XCP1 and XCP2) and one putative subtilisin-type serine peptidase (XSP1), were identified from the xylem library for further analysis. Using RNA gel blots it was determined that these peptidases were expressed in the xylem and not in the bark. Quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction confirmed the RNA gel-blot results and revealed high levels of XCP1 and XCP2 mRNA in stems and flowers of the infloresence. A poly-histidine-tagged version of XCP1 was purified from Escherichia coli by denaturing metal-chelate chromatography. Following renaturation, the 40-kD recombinant XCP1 was not proteolytically active. Activation was achieved by incubation of recombinant XCP1 at pH 5.5 and was dependent on proteolytic processing of the 40-kD inactive polypeptide to a 26-kD active peptidase.

The core element of the EcoRII methylase as defined by protease digestion and deletion analysis.

Abstract: Binding of the EcoRII DNA methyltransferase to azacytosine-containing DNA protects the enzyme from digestion by proteases. The limit digest yields a product having a Mr on SDS-PAGE 20% less than the intact protein. The N terminus of the tryptic digestion product was sequenced and found to be missing the N terminal 82 amino acids. Under the conditions used unbound enzyme was digested to small peptides. Protection of the enzyme from protease digestion implies that the enzyme undergoes major conformational changes when bound to DNA. The trypsin sensitive region of the EcoRII methyltransferase occurs prior to the first constant region shared with other procaryotic DNA(cytosine-5)methyltransferases. To determine if this region played a role in substrate binding or specificity, N-terminal deletion mutants were studied. Deletion of 97 amino acids resulted in a decrease of enzyme activity. Further deletions caused a complete loss of activity. Enzyme deleted through amino acid 85 was purified and found to have the same specificity as wild type however there was an increase in Km for both S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet) and DNA of 27 and 18 fold respectively. The N-terminus of the EcoRII methylase, although a variable region present in many procaryotic DNA(cytosine-5)methylases, plays no role in determining enzyme specificity, although it does contribute to the interaction with both AdoMet and DNA.