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Structure of astacin and the discovery of metzincins
F Xavier Gomis-Rüth1, Walter Stöcker2
1Department of Structural and Molecular Biology, Molecular Biology Institute of Barcelona (IBMB), Higher Scientific Research Council (CSIC), Barcelona Science Park, Helix Building, c/ Baldiri Reixac, 15-21, E-08028 Barcelona, Spain.
Abstract:
The X-ray crystal structure of astacin from the freshwater crayfish Astacus astacus published in 1992 was the second structural prototype of a zinc metalloendopeptidase solved after thermolysin from Bacillus thermoproteolyticus 20 years earlier. Astacin became the founding member of a clan of metalloendopeptidases, for which Wolfram Bode coined the designation 'metzincins'. This review recapitulates the discovery of the metzincin clan, which includes the astacins, MMPs (matrix metalloproteinases), serralysins and adamalysins/ADAMs (A disintegrin and metalloproteinase enzymes). Currently, over a dozen subclans (families) have been assigned including the pappalysins, leishmanolysins, snapalysins, igalysins, helicolysins, and toxylysins.
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