Fish collagenase

Abstract

In order to clarify the function of fish collagenase in tissues, we investigated substrate specificities of its recombinant enzymes. The enzymes were expressed in E. coli with cDNAs of collagenases such as matrix metalloproteinases 2 and 13 (MMPs-2 and -13), which have been isolated from a rainbow trout fibroblast cDNA library. MMPs-2 and -13 were found to have limited activities against rainbow trout type V collagen and to cleave rainbow trout type I collagen and its gelatin together with severe fragmentation, respectively, at a low temperature. Moreover, expression analysis has revealed the distribution of these MMPs in several tissues of rainbow trout. Therefore, they appear to play a crucial role in the collagen catabolism of rainbow trout. © 2002, The Japanese Society of Fisheries Science. All rights reserved.