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Activity assessment of microbial fibrinolytic enzymes
1Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Zagazig University, Zagazig, 44519, Egypt. ekotb@zu.edu.eg
Abstract:
Conversion of fibrinogen to fibrin inside blood vessels results in thrombosis, leading to myocardial infarction and other cardiovascular diseases. In general, there are four therapy options: surgical operation, intake of antiplatelets, anticoagulants, or fibrinolytic enzymes. Microbial fibrinolytic enzymes have attracted much more attention than typical thrombolytic agents because of the expensive prices and the side effects of the latter. The fibrinolytic enzymes were successively discovered from different microorganisms, the most important among which is the genus Bacillus. Microbial fibrinolytic enzymes, especially those from food-grade microorganisms, have the potential to be developed as functional food additives and drugs to prevent or cure thrombosis and other related diseases. There are several assay methods for these enzymes; this may due to the insolubility of substrate, fibrin. Existing assay methods can be divided into three major groups. The first group consists of assay of fibrinolytic activity with natural proteins as substrates, e.g., fibrin plate methods. The second and third groups of assays are suitable for kinetic studies and are based on the determination of hydrolysis of synthetic peptide esters. This review will deal primarily with the microorganisms that have been reported in literature to produce fibrinolytic enzymes and the first review discussing the methods used to assay the fibrinolytic activity.
Insights
Microbial fibrinolytic enzymes, particularly from Bacillus, show promise for treating thrombosis. This review covers enzyme-producing microorganisms and assay methods for their fibrinolytic activity.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry and Microbiology
- Focuses on enzymes involved in blood clot dissolution and their microbial sources.
Background:
- Thrombosis, caused by fibrinogen to fibrin conversion, leads to cardiovascular diseases.
- Microbial fibrinolytic enzymes offer a cost-effective and safer alternative to conventional thrombolytic agents.
- The genus Bacillus is a significant source of these valuable enzymes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review microorganisms producing fibrinolytic enzymes.
- To discuss various methods for assaying fibrinolytic activity.
- To highlight the potential of microbial enzymes in treating thrombosis.
Main Methods:
- Review of scientific literature on fibrinolytic enzymes and their sources.
- Categorization of fibrinolytic assay methods into three groups: natural protein substrates (e.g., fibrin plates) and synthetic peptide ester hydrolysis for kinetic studies.
Main Results:
- Numerous microorganisms, especially from the Bacillus genus, produce fibrinolytic enzymes.
- Fibrin plate assays and synthetic substrate methods are key techniques for evaluating enzyme activity.
- Enzymes from food-grade microbes are potential candidates for functional foods and therapeutics.
Conclusions:
- Microbial fibrinolytic enzymes present a viable therapeutic strategy for thrombosis.
- Further research into enzyme-producing microorganisms and refined assay techniques is warranted.
- Development of these enzymes could lead to novel treatments for cardiovascular diseases.
