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Updated: Jul 2, 2026

A Comprehensive Approach to Analyze the Cell Components of Cerebral Blood Clots
Published on: July 21, 2023
Structure of activated thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor, a molecular link between coagulation and
Laura Sanglas1, Zuzana Valnickova2, Joan L Arolas3
1Institut de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina and Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular (Facultat de Ciències), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, E-08193 Bellaterra, Spain.
Abstract:
Thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI) is a metallocarboxypeptidase (MCP) that links blood coagulation and fibrinolysis. TAFI hampers fibrin-clot lysis and is a pharmacological target for the treatment of thrombotic conditions. TAFI is transformed through removal of its prodomain by thrombin-thrombomodulin into TAFIa, which is intrinsically unstable and has a short half-life in vivo. Here we show that purified bovine TAFI activated in the presence of a proteinaceous inhibitor renders a stable enzyme-inhibitor complex. Its crystal structure reveals that TAFIa conforms to the alpha/beta-hydrolase fold of MCPs and displays two unique flexible loops on the molecular surface, accounting for structural instability and susceptibility to proteolysis. In addition, point mutations reported to enhance protein stability in vivo are mainly located in the first loop and in another surface region, which is a potential heparin-binding site. The protein inhibitor contacts both the TAFIa active site and an exosite, thus contributing to high inhibitory efficiency.
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