TY - JOUR

T1 - Human ADAM 12 (meltrin alpha) is an active metalloprotease.

AU - Loechel, F

AU - Gilpin, B J

AU - Engvall, E

AU - Albrechtsen, R

AU - Wewer, U M

N1 - Keywords: ADAM Proteins; Amino Acid Sequence; Animals; COS Cells; Cysteine; Disintegrins; Humans; Hydrolysis; Membrane Proteins; Metalloendopeptidases; Molecular Sequence Data; Mutagenesis, Site-Directed; Sequence Homology, Amino Acid

PY - 1998

Y1 - 1998

N2 - The ADAMs (a disintegrin and metalloprotease) are a family of multidomain proteins with structural homology to snake venom metalloproteases. We recently described the cloning and sequencing of human ADAM 12 (meltrin alpha). In this report we provide evidence that the metalloprotease domain of ADAM 12 is catalytically active. We used the trapping mechanism of alpha2-macroglobulin to assay for protease activity of wild-type and mutant ADAM 12 proteins produced in a COS cell transfection system. We found that ADAM 12 is synthesized as a zymogen, with the prodomain maintaining the metalloprotease in a latent form, probably by means of a cysteine switch. The zymogen could be activated chemically by alkylation with N-ethylmaleimide. Cleavage of the prodomain at a site for a furin-like endopeptidase resulted in an ADAM 12 protein with proteolytic activity. The protease activity was sensitive to inhibition by 1,10-phenanthroline and could be eliminated by mutation of the critical glutamate residue at the active site. The demonstration that the ADAM 12 metalloprotease domain is functional may have important implications for future studies that explore the role of ADAM 12 protein in development and disease.

AB - The ADAMs (a disintegrin and metalloprotease) are a family of multidomain proteins with structural homology to snake venom metalloproteases. We recently described the cloning and sequencing of human ADAM 12 (meltrin alpha). In this report we provide evidence that the metalloprotease domain of ADAM 12 is catalytically active. We used the trapping mechanism of alpha2-macroglobulin to assay for protease activity of wild-type and mutant ADAM 12 proteins produced in a COS cell transfection system. We found that ADAM 12 is synthesized as a zymogen, with the prodomain maintaining the metalloprotease in a latent form, probably by means of a cysteine switch. The zymogen could be activated chemically by alkylation with N-ethylmaleimide. Cleavage of the prodomain at a site for a furin-like endopeptidase resulted in an ADAM 12 protein with proteolytic activity. The protease activity was sensitive to inhibition by 1,10-phenanthroline and could be eliminated by mutation of the critical glutamate residue at the active site. The demonstration that the ADAM 12 metalloprotease domain is functional may have important implications for future studies that explore the role of ADAM 12 protein in development and disease.

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 9642263

VL - 273

SP - 16993

EP - 16997

JO - Journal of Biological Chemistry

JF - Journal of Biological Chemistry

SN - 0021-9258

IS - 27

ER -