Fibrinogenolytic Proteases Research Articles

Anticoagulant and Fibrinogenolytic Properties of Seed Extract of Psidium guajava

The objective of this study was to identify and evaluate for the first time the anticoagulant and fibrinogenolytic protease from Psidium guajava seed extract. The Psidium guajava seed extract in sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed protein bands in high molecular weight region between 122 kDa and 47 kDa and two distinct bands in the lower molecular weight region at ~16.6 kDa and ~14.3 kDa. The protein content in Psidium guajava seed extract was found to be 1 mg/ml with protease specific activity 0.8 U. The proteolytic activity was supported by zymography studies using casein/gelatin as substrates. Psidium guajava seed extract hydrolysed all the subunits of fibrinogen and alpha-polymer and alpha-chain subunits of fibrin at a concentration of 20 μg and 120 μg, respectively. Psidium guajava seed extract prolonged the clotting time in recalcification time from control 161 s to 487 s, increasing by ~3 folds. This indicates the anticoagulant nature associated with Psidium guajava seed extract. Our study provides for the first time, the scientific validation for the presence of a protease with anticoagulant and fibrinogenolytic property from Psidium guajava seed extract.

Partial purification of fibrinolytic and fibrinogenolytic protease from Gliricidia sepium seeds by aqueous two-phase system

Abstract Fibrinolytic proteases are enzymes that provide a promising alternative to drugs for thrombolytic therapy, since they degrade fibrin, the major component of blood clots. Aqueous two-phase systems (ATPS) using polyethylene glycol (PEG) 8000 and sodium phosphate were used to select optimal conditions for extracting a cysteine protease with fibrinolytic and fibrinogenolytic activity from the legume Gliricidia sepium PBSGS. For this purpose, extraction tests were conducted in accordance with a 24-factorial design, in which concentrations of PEG (CPEG), molar mass of PEG, concentrations of sodium phosphate (CPHO) and pH were used as independent variables, and partition coefficient, activity yield and purification factor as responses. The best results in terms of enzyme partial purification were obtained at CPEG of 12.5% (w/w), CPHO of 15% (w/w) and pH 8.0, which guaranteed a purification factor of 6.26, a partition coefficient of 1.32 and a yield of 141.57%. The results clearly showed preferential protease partitioning to the PEG-rich top phase. The enzyme, which was able to degrade human fibrinogen, was characterized as a cysteine protease (66 kDa) and exhibited optimum activity temperature of 60 °C and pH of 8.0; in addition, its activity was increased in the presence of potassium, iron, zinc and sodium ions and reduced in the presence of calcium ion. The results obtained suggest potential of ATPS-partially purified protease in thrombolytic treatment, which will be the object of future investigation.

An in silico approach to understand the structure–function properties of a serine protease (Bacifrinase) from Bacillus cereus and experimental evidence to support the interaction of Bacifrinase with fibrinogen and thrombin

Microbial fibrinogenolytic serine proteases find therapeutic applications in the treatment of thrombosis- and hyperfibrinogenemia-associated disorders. However, analysis of structure–function properties of an enzyme is utmost important before its commercial application. In this study, an attempt has been made to understand the structure of a fibrinogenolytic protease enzyme, “Bacifrinase” from Bacillus cereus strain AB01. From the molecular dynamics trajectory analysis, the modelled three-dimensional structure of the protease was found to be stable and the presence of a catalytic triad made up of Asp102, His83 and Ser195 suggests that it is a serine protease. To understand the mechanism of enzyme–substrate and enzyme–inhibitor interactions, the equilibrated protein was docked with human fibrinogen (the physiological substrate of this enzyme), human thrombin and with ten selective protease inhibitors. The Bacifrinase–chymostatin interaction was the strongest among the selected protease inhibitors. The serine protease inhibitor phenyl methane sulphonyl fluoride was found to interact with the Ser134 residue of Bacifrinase. Furthermore, protein–protein docking study revealed the fibrinogenolytic property of Bacifrinase and its interaction with Aα-, Bβ- and Cγ-chains human fibrinogen to a different extent. However, biochemical analysis showed that Bacifrinase did not hydrolyse the γ-chain of fibrinogen. The in silico and spectrofluorometric studies also showed interaction of Bacifrinase with thrombin as well as fibrinogen with a Kd value of 16.5 and .81 nM, respectively. Our findings have shed light on the salient structural features of Bacifrinase and confirm that it is a fibrinogenolytic serine protease.

The Use of Red Oncom Powder as Potential Production Media for Fibrinogenolytic Protease Derived from Bacillus Licheniformis RO3

The high cost of enzyme production is one of the barriers to successful application of enzyme in the industry. Selection of media is a critical factor for the enzyme production. Main factors for optimization of enzyme production include nutritional components and environmental conditions for growth and production of fibrinogenolytic protease. In this study, Bacillus licheniformis RO3 isolated from red oncom, an Indonesian fermented food was tested for its fibrinogenolytic protease production by using several media. Three types of media were analyzed, i.e. Luria-Bertani broth (LB), ½ LB + 1% skim milk (LBS), and ½ LB + 1% red oncom powder (LBO). Protease activity was tested by using spectrophotometric method with casein as a substrate and fibrinogenolytic activity was confirmed based on zymography assay using fibrinogen substrate. In LB media, B. licheniformis RO3 was able to produce protease with activity of 0.024 U/ml or 0.157 U/mg at 36h fermentation. In LBS media, the highest protease activity was 0.022 U/ml or 0.152 U/mg at 48h fermentation. The best result was shown by B. licheniformis RO3 grown in LBO media with the highest protease activity of 0.051 U/ml or 0.283 U/mg at 48h. Zymographic profiles showed that crude enzyme from B. licheniformis RO3 consisted of six fibrinogenolytic bands with molecular weight of 20, 27, 32, 40, 70, and >140 kDa. These results indicate that red oncom powder can be used as a potential media for fibrinogenolytic protease production.

Binding and degradation of fibrinogen by Bacteroides fragilis and characterization of a 54 kDa fibrinogen-binding protein

Bacteroides fragilis is a bacterium that resides in the normal human gastro-intestinal tract; however, it is also the most commonly isolated Gram-negative obligate anaerobe from human clinical infections, such as intra-abdominal abscesses, and the most common cause of anaerobic bacteraemia. Abscess formation is important in bacterial containment, limiting dissemination of infection and bacteraemia. In this study, we investigated B. fragilis binding and degradation of human fibrinogen, the major structural component involved in fibrin abscess formation. We have shown that B. fragilis NCTC9343 binds human fibrinogen. A putative Bacteroides fragilis fibrinogen-binding protein, designated BF-FBP, identified in the genome sequence of NCTC9343, was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. The purified recombinant BF-FBP bound primarily to the human fibrinogen Bbeta-chain. In addition, we have identified fibrinogenolytic activity in B. fragilis exponential phase culture supernatants, associated with fibrinogenolytic metalloproteases in NCTC9343 and 638R, and cysteine protease activity in YCH46. All nine clinical isolates of B. fragilis examined degraded human fibrinogen; with eight isolates, initial Aalpha-chain degradation was observed, with varying Bbeta-chain and gamma-chain degradation. With one blood culture isolate, Bbeta-chain and gamma-chain degradation occurred first, followed by subsequent Aalpha-chain degradation. Our data raise the possibility that the fibrinogen-binding protein of B. fragilis, along with a variety of fibrinogenolytic proteases, may be an important virulence factor that facilitates dissemination of infection via reduction or inhibition of abscess formation.

Impaired plasma clottability induction through fibrinogen degradation by ASP, a serine protease released fromAeromonas sobria

Aeromonas sobria infection often advances to sepsis, in which interaction of bacterial components with plasma proteins possibly causes various disorders. This bacterium releases a serine protease (ASP), a putative virulence factor, and binds to fibrinogen. To study the ASP effect on fibrinogen, we incubated fibrinogen or plasma with ASP and investigated their clotting elicited by thrombin, which converts fibrinogen to a fibrin clot. Enzymatically active ASP retarded plasma clotting in a dose-dependent manner starting at an ASP concentration of 10 nM. ASP also retarded fibrinogen clotting at 3 nM and above, which appeared to correspond to ASP cleavage of fibrinogen at the Aα-chain. Consistent with containing serine protease activity for an ASP-specific substrate, the culture supernatant of an ASP gene-introduced strain retarded plasma and fibrinogen clotting more than that of the wild-type strain. The culture supernatant of an ASP gene-disrupted strain that releases negligible serine protease activity for the ASP-specific substrate did not affect plasma clotting. These results indicate that ASP is the main fibrinogenolytic protease released from A. sobria. Impaired plasma clottability induction through fibrinogen degradation is a new virulence activity of ASP and may contribute to hemorrhagic tendencies in sepsis caused by infection with this bacterium.

Isolation and cloning of a metalloproteinase from king cobra snake venom

A 50 kDa fibrinogenolytic protease, ohagin, from the venom of Ophiophagus hannah was isolated by a combination of gel filtration, ion-exchange and heparin affinity chromatography. Ohagin specifically degraded the alpha-chain of human fibrinogen and the proteolytic activity was completely abolished by EDTA, but not by PMSF, suggesting it is a metalloproteinase. It dose-dependently inhibited platelet aggregation induced by ADP, TMVA and stejnulxin. The full sequence of ohagin was deduced by cDNA cloning and confirmed by protein sequencing and peptide mass fingerprinting. The full-length cDNA sequence of ohagin encodes an open reading frame of 611 amino acids that includes signal peptide, proprotein and mature protein comprising metalloproteinase, disintegrin-like and cysteine-rich domains, suggesting it belongs to P-III class metalloproteinase. In addition, P-III class metalloproteinases from the venom glands of Naja atra, Bungarus multicinctus and Bungarus fasciatus were also cloned in this study. Sequence analysis and phylogenetic analysis indicated that metalloproteinases from elapid snake venoms form a new subgroup of P-III SVMPs.

Fibrinogenolytic Proteases Isolated from the Snake Venom of Taiwan Habu: Serine Proteases with Kallikrein-like and Angiotensin-Degrading Activities

Two venom proteases with fibrinogenolytic activity were isolated from the venom of Taiwan habu (Trimeresurus mucrosquamatus), one major crotalid snake species in Taiwan. The purified enzymes showed a strong β-fibrinogenolytic activity, cleaving β-chain of fibrinogen molecules specifically. They also showed strong kallikrein-like activity in vitro, releasing bradykinin from kininogen. The purified enzymes did not coagulate human plasma, yet decreasing fibrinogen levels in plasma and prolonging bleeding without formation of fibrin clots, indicating that both proteases have specificities different from thrombin and thrombin-like proteases of snake venom reported previously. They also exhibit amidase activity against N-benzoyl-Pro-Phe-Arg-p-nitroanilide, which is a specific synthetic substrate for kallikrein-like proteases. Their stability at high temperatures was examined and found to be more stable when compared with ancrod and thrombin. Intravenous injection of either protease was shown to lower blood pressure in experimental rats. Most noteworthy is the observation that the proteases can cleave angiotensin I and release bradykinin from plasma kininogen in vitro, which is a strong vasodilator and probably responsible for the in vivo hypotensive effect of these venom proteases.

Fibrinogenolytic proteases detected in the plasma of plasminogen knock-out mice

Fibrinogenolytic proteases detected in the plasma of plasminogen knock-out mice

Adhesion Prevention with Ancrod Released via a Tissue-Adherent Hydrogel

The objective of this investigation was to evaluate the effect of ancrod, a fibrinogenolytic protease from Malayan pit viper venom, locally delivered through a photopolymerized biodegradable hydrogel in preventing postoperative adhesions. The experimental model involved ischemic and serosal injury to the uterine horns of rats with measurement of adhesions 7 days after injury. Ancrod was delivered intravenously for 5 days preoperatively through 3 days postoperatively, intraperitoneally for 5 days preoperatively, intraperitoneally for 3 days postoperatively, and locally via the hydrogel formed upon the uterine horns by photopolymerization of an aqueous precursor solution. Systemic defibrinogenation by intravenous administration pre- through postoperatively reduced the extent of adhesions by 63% without dose sensitivity from 5 to 20 units/kg/day. Preoperative defibrinogenation by intraperitoneal administration reduced adhesion extent by up to 57%, while postoperative administration was more effective, reducing adhesions by up to 84% with a dose-dependent response from 5 to 20 units/kg/day. Administration of ancrod by local release from a tissue-adherent hydrogel was more effective than either the hydrogel alone or the same amount of ancrod administered by postoperative intraperitoneal injection. Adhesions were reduced by 82% at a local dose of 10 units/kg, compared to a reduction of 68% due to the barrier properties of the gel alone (P< 0.01) and of 19% due to the same amount of drug given at the time of surgery (P< 0.001). Local delivery of ancrod from a tissue-adherent hydrogel barrier thus provided an efficacious prevention to postoperative adhesions while permitting administration of a low total dose of the protease.

Purification and characterization of a fibrinogen-degrading protease in Bacteroides fragilis strain YCH46.

A novel fibrinogenolytic protease was purified from Bacteroides fragilis strain YCH46. The protease was extracted from cells by ultrasonic treatment and was purified 425-fold with a recovery of 2.1% by sequential procedures using azocasein as a substrate. The purified protease showed a single band on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis with an estimated molecular weight of 100 kDa, which was consistent with the value obtained by gel filtration, indicating a monomeric native structure. Its optimal pH, Km, and Vmax for azocasein were 7.5, 0.2%, and 286 U/min/mg, respectively. The protease activity was completely inhibited by addition of 1 mM Hg2+, Cu2+, Zn2+, diisopropyl fluorophosphate, N-ethylmaleimide or p-chloromercuribenzoate but not by the inhibitors of metalloprotease or aspartic protease, suggesting that the enzyme is a serine-thiol-like protease. The protease hydrolyzed azocasein, casein, fibrinogen, gelatin, and azocoll, but not bovine serum albumin, ovalbumin, fibrin, fibronectin, immunoglobulins, transferrin, hemoglobin or types I, III, and IV collagen. The enzyme also hydrolyzed the chromogenic substrates alanyl-alanine p-nitroanilide, L-valyl-alanine p-nitroanilide, alanyl-alanyl-valyl-alanine p-nitroanilide, and glycyl-proline p-nitroanilide, but was inert toward L-alanine p-nitroanilide, alanyl-alanyl-alanine p-nitroanilide, and N-alpha-benzoyl-DL-arginine p-nitroanilide. The protease completely hydrolyzed the alpha-chain of fibrinogen at 37 C within 10 hr and at the same time the time required for clotting of protease-treated fibrinogen by thrombin was prolonged. The fibrinogenolytic activity of a crude extract of B. fragilis was stronger than that of other species of the Bacteroides fragilis group tested: B. ovatus, B. distasonis, B. eggerthii, B. uniformis, and B. thetaiotaomicron. These results suggest that the fibrinogenolytic protease is an important biological factor in Bacteroides infection.

Characterization of Multiple Metalloproteinases with Fibrinogenolytic Activity from the Venom of Taiwan Habu (Trimeresurus mucrosquamatus): Protein Microsequencing Coupled with cDNA Sequence Analysis

Three fibrinogenolytic proteases were isolated and purified from the venom of Taiwan habu (Trimeresurus mucrosquamatus) using anion-exchange and gel filtration chromatographies followed by cation-exchange HPLC. Further characterization of these purified fractions with fibrinogenase activity indicated that they are single-chain proteases of approximately 24 kDa, possessing strong cleaving activity mainly on the Aα and less on Bβ and γ chains of fibrinogen subunit chains. Enzyme activities were strongly inhibited by EDTA or 1,10-phenanthroline and not by phenylmethanesulfonyl fluoride, suggesting that these fibrinogenases belong to the family of metalloproteinases and not thrombin-like serine proteases. N-Terminal sequence analysis of these proteases failed to show any free amino-terminal residues, thus hampering the sequence determination by conventional sequencing strategy. Microsequencing on the electroblotted fragments of CNBr-treated proteases separated on SDS-PAGE was then used to determine the partial; sequences. Sequence comparison of the determined partial sequences of these proteins with published sequences of the protein data bank revealed that they showed sequence homology with H2-protease, HR2a and protrigramin, which were all shown to belong to metalloproteinases present in various snake venoms. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was employed to amplify cDNAs constructed from the poly(A)+RNA of fresh venom glands of the same snake species to facilitate cloning and sequencing of these proteases. Sequencing several positive clones containing amplified cDNAs revealed the existence of one fibrinogenase in the Taiwan habu, which was contained within one complete cDNA encoding the preproproteinase precursor of hemorrhagic metalloproteinases.

Characterization of One Novel Venom Protease with β-Fibrinogenase Activity from the Taiwan Habu ( Trimeresurus mucrosquamatus): Purification and cDNA Sequence Analysis

Several fibrinogenolytic proteases were isolated from the venom of Taiwan habu, Trimeresurus mucrosquamatus, a snake species belonging to the Crotalidae family. One protease with strong fibrinogenolytic activity was further purified to homogeneity through multiple-step chromatographies including ion-exchange chromatography, gel permeation and reversed-phase HPLC. In vitro, the purified enzyme cleaved β-chain of fibrinogen molecules efficiently and showed relatively lower activity on α-chain, with almost no activity on γ-chain even after a long period of incubation. Further characterization indicated that it is a single-chain polypeptide with molecular weight of about 28,000. Its stability at high temperatures (> 90°C) distinguished it from the previously reported venom fibrinogenases. N-Terminal sequence analysis revealed that it is similar to batroxobin and ancrod, which were shown to possess either fibrinogen-clotting or antithrombotic effect. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was employed to amplify cDNAs constructed from the poly(A) +RNA of fresh venom glands of the same snake species to facilitate the cloning and sequencing of this important fibrinogenase. Sequencing several positive clones corresponding to the coding sequence of the enzyme revealed the existence of a family of novel thrombin-like fibrinogenases in the Taiwan habu, which are heat-stable and may be useful as strong antithrombotic agents.

Isolation of Multiple Isoforms of α-Fibrinogenase from the Western Diamondback Rattlesnake, Crotalus atrox: N-Terminal Sequence Homology with Ancrod, an Antithrombotic Agent from Malayan Viper

Three fibrinogenolytic proteases from the rattlesnake ( Crotalus atrox) venom were isolated and purified from multiple-step chromatographies including ion-exchange chromatography, gel permeation and reversed-phase HPLC. The fractions were shown to be homogeneous as judged by SDS-gel electrophoresis. In vitro, they also showed a high and specific proteolytic activity against α-chains of fibrinogen molecules. Further characterization of these purified fractions with fibrinogenase activity indicated that they are all single-chain proteins with similar molecular weights of about 33,000-35,000. Their stability at high temperatures was examined and the cleavage specificity of various proteases was studied using oxidized insulin B-chains as substrates. The reactivity toward fibrinogen molecules in the presence of varied protease inhibitors including EDTA, β-mercaptoethanol, soybean trypsin inhibitor, aprotinin and phenylmethanesulfonyl fluoride was also investigated in order to classify these proteases based on their reaction mechanisms. Amino acid analysis indicates that these purified venom toxins possess closely-similar compositions with regard to most amino acids including cysteine, methionine and tyrosine. N-Terminal sequence analysis of these proteases revealed that they are similar to ancrod, an antithrombotic agent isolated from the Malayan pit viper. This study points to the existence of a family of novel ancrod-like fibrinogenases in crotalid rattlesnakes, which may be useful as effective venom-based anticoagulants.

Fibrinogenolytic proteases from the venoms of juvenile and adult northern pacific rattlesnakes ( Crotalus viridis oreganus)

1. 1. Venoms of Crotalus viridis oreganus show marked ontogenetic variation in protease activity. Adult venoms are approximately five-fold higher in protease (caseinolytic) activity. 2. 2. Of seven potential protease inhibitors, only EDTA and 1,10-phenanthroline caused a significant decrease in protease activity. Responses of juvenile and adult venoms were essentially equivalent, and attempts at recovery of protease activity of EDTA-treated venoms by the addition of Ca 2+ or Zn 2+ were unsuccessful. 3. 3. Gel filtration resolved two proteases from juvenile and subadult venoms with approximate M r of 100,000 and 78,000. Four proteases were resolved from adult venom, and M r estimates were 78,000, 61,000, 35,000 and 19,000. 4. 4. Proteases from juvenile and adult venoms showed fibrinogenolytic activity, each producing some unique degradation products. 5. 5. The occurrence of three “new” proteases in adult venom produced the ontogenetic increase in activity seen in the crude venoms.

A unique proteolytic fragment of human fibrinogen containing the A alpha COOH-terminal domain of the native molecule.

The COOH-terminal portion of the A alpha chain of human fibrinogen is highly susceptible to proteolytic degradation. This property has prevented isolation of the COOH-terminal domain of fibrinogen for the direct investigation of its functional characteristics. Human fibrinogen was degraded with hementin, a fibrinogen-olytic protease from the posterior salivary glands of the leech, Haementeria ghilianii. Two initial fragments, Yhem1 and Dhem1, produced by cleavage through the three polypeptide chains in the connector region, were characterized and shown to retain the entire A alpha COOH-terminal domain. Late cleavages by hementin occurred in the A alpha chain COOH-terminal region to produce fragments Yhem and Dhem with shorter A alpha chain remnants. Fragments Dhem were isolated from an intermediate hementin digest of fibrinogen using anion-exchange chromatography. Fragment Dhem1 was separated further from Dhem fragments with shorter alpha chain remnants by affinity chromatography on immobilized plasma fibronectin. Fragment Dhem1 represents a unique proteolytic fragment of fibrinogen containing an intact A alpha chain COOH-terminal region. NH2-terminal sequence analysis of isolated chains from fragment Dhem1 located hementin cleavage sites in the connector region to A alpha Asn102-Asn103, B beta Lys130-Gln131, and gamma Pro76-Asn77. The specific interaction of fragment Dhem1 with immobilized fibronectin indicated that the binding site probably was located within the COOH-terminal 111 amino acids of the A alpha chain. The overall pattern of fibrinogen cleavage by hementin is similar to that of plasmin, yet hementin cleaves preferably in the coiled-coil connector, sparing the A alpha COOH-terminal domain.

Purification and characterization of hementin, a fibrinogenolytic protease from the leech Haementeria ghilianii

The fibrinogenolytic enzyme hementin, present in extracts of the posterior salivary glands of the giant leech Haementeria ghilianii, was isolated by ultrafiltration, high-performance ion-exchange chromatography and subsequent reversed-phase liquid chromatography. Approximately 100 μg (1 nmol) of hementin, present at less than 0.5% in the crude leech salivary extract, was brought to about 90% purity in three steps. Hementin migrated at an M r of about 73 000 on non-reducing sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and at 82 000 on reducing SDS-PAGE. The amino terminal sequence was determined to be TTLTE-PEPDL. The amino terminal sequences of two inactive proteins that partially coeluted with hementin in the first chromatographic step were also determined.