Matrix metalloproteinases are an important group of zinc enzymes responsible for degradation of the extracellular matrix components such as collagen and proteoglycans in normal embryogenesis and remodeling and in many disease processes such as arthritis, cancer, periodontitis, and osteoporosis. A matrixin family is defined, comprising at least seven members that range in size from Mr 28,000 to 92,000 and are related in gene sequence to collagenase. All family members are secreted as zymogens that lose peptides of about 10,000 daltons upon activation. Latency is due to a conserved cysteine that binds to zinc at the active center. Latency is overcome by physical (chaotropic agents), chemical (HOCl, mercurials), and enzymatic (trypsin, plasmin) treatments that separate the cysteine residue from the zinc. Expression of the metalloproteinases is switched on by a variety of agents acting through regulatory elements of the gene, particularly the AP-1 binding site. A family of protein inhibitors of Mr 28,500 or less binds strongly and stoichiometrically in noncovalent fashion to inhibit members of the family. The serum protein alpha 2-macroglobulin and relatives are also strongly inhibitory.

https://faseb.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1096/fasebj.5.8.1850705

Matrix metalloproteinases and their inhibitors in connective tissue remodeling.

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a family of nine or more highly homologous Zn(++)-endopeptidases that collectively cleave most if not all of the constituents of the extracellular matrix. The present review discusses in detail the primary structures and the overlapping yet distinct substrate specificities of MMPs as well as the mode of activation of the unique MMP precursors. The regulation of MMP activity at the transcriptional level and at the extracellular level (precursor activation, inhibition of activated, mature enzymes) is also discussed. A final segment of the review details the current knowledge of the involvement of MMP in specific developmental or pathological conditions, including human periodontal diseases.

Matrix Metalloproteinases: A Review

Majors topics addressed in this review on zinc physiology are ; 1) chemistry and biochemistry; 2) interface of biochemistry and physiology of zinc; 3) physiology and cell and molecular biology; 4) pathology

The biochemical basis of zinc physiology

https://www.cell.com/cell/pdf/0092-8674(91)90642-C.pdf

Cancer metastasis and angiogenesis: an imbalance of positive and negative regulation.

For present purposes, a protein-bound metal site consists of one or more metal ions and all protein side chain and exogenous bridging and terminal ligands that define the first coordination sphere of each metal ion. Such sites can be classified into five basic types with the indicated functions: (1) structural -- configuration (in part) of protein tertiary and/or quaternary structure; (2) storage -- uptake, binding, and release of metals in soluble form: (3) electron transfer -- uptake, release, and storage of electrons; (4) dioxygen binding -- metal-O{sub 2} coordination and decoordination; and (5) catalytic -- substrate binding, activation, and turnover. The authors present here a classification and structure/function analysis of native metal sites based on these functions, where 5 is an extensive class subdivided by the type of reaction catalyzed. Within this purview, coverage of the various site types is extensive, but not exhaustive. The purpose of this exposition is to present examples of all types of sites and to relate, insofar as is currently feasible, the structure and function of selected types. The authors largely confine their considerations to the sites themselves, with due recognition that these site features are coupled to protein structure at all levels. In themore » next section, the coordination chemistry of metalloprotein sites and the unique properties of a protein as a ligand are briefly summarized. Structure/function relationships are systematically explored and tabulations of structurally defined sites presented. Finally, future directions in bioinorganic research in the context of metal site chemistry are considered. 620 refs.« less

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Structural and Functional Aspects of Metal Sites in Biology

Zinc coordination, function, and structure of zinc enzymes and other proteins

Zinc is known to be indispensable to growth and development and transmission of the genetic message. It does this through a remarkable mosaic of zinc binding motifs that orchestrate all aspects of metabolism. There are now nearly 200 three dimensional structures for zinc proteins, representing all six classes of enzymes and covering a wide range of phyla and species. These structures provide standards of reference for the identity and nature of zinc ligands in other proteins for which only the primary structure is known. Three primary types of zinc sites are apparent from examination of these structures: structural, catalytic and cocatalytic. The most common amino acids that supply ligands to these sites are His, Glu, Asp and Cys. In catalytic sites zinc generally forms complexes with water and any three nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur donors with His being the predominant amino acid chosen. Water is always a ligand to such sites. Structural zinc sites have four protein ligands and no bound water molecule. Cys is the preferred ligand in such sites. Cocatalytic sites contain two or three metals in close proximity with two of the metals bridged by a side chain moiety of a single amino acid residue, such as Asp, Glu or His and sometimes a water molecule. Asp and His are the preferred amino acids for these sites. No Cys ligands are found in such sites. The scaffolding of the zinc sites is also important to the function and reactivity of the bound metal. The influence of zinc on quaternary protein structure has led to the identification of a fourth type of zinc binding site, protein interface. In this case zinc sites are formed from ligands supplied from amino acid residues residing in the binding surface of two proteins. The resulting zinc site usually has the coordination properties of a catalytic or structural zinc binding site.

Zinc coordination sphere in biochemical zinc sites

The x-ray crystallographic structures of 12 zinc enzymes have been chosen as standards of reference to identify the ligands to the catalytic and structural zinc atoms of other members of their respective enzyme families. Universally, H2O is a ligand and critical component of the catalytically active zinc sites. In addition, three protein side chains bind to the catalytic zinc atom, whereas four protein ligands bind to the structural zinc atom. The geometry and coordination number of zinc can vary greatly to accommodate particular ligands. Zinc forms complexes with nitrogen and oxygen just as readily as with sulfur, and this is reflected in catalytic zinc sites having a binding frequency of His much greater than Glu greater than Asp = Cys, three of which bind to the metal atom. The systematic spacing between the ligands is striking. For all catalytic zinc sites except the coenzyme-dependent alcohol dehydrogenase, the first two ligands are separated by a "short-spacer" consisting of 1 to 3 amino acids. These ligands are separated from the third ligand by a "long spacer" of approximately 20 to approximately 120 amino acids. The spacer enables formation of a primary bidentate zinc complex, whereas the long spacer contributes flexibility to the coordination sphere, which can poise the zinc for catalysis as well as bring other catalytic and substrate binding groups into apposition with the active site. The H2O is activated by ionization, polarization, or poised for displacement. Collectively, the data imply that the preferred mechanistic pathway for activating the water--e.g., zinc hydroxide or Lewis acid catalysis--will be determined by the identity of the other three ligands and their spacing.

Active-site zinc ligands and activated H2O of zinc enzymes.

We now recognize three distinct motifs of DNA-binding zinc proteins: (i) zinc fingers, (ii) zinc clusters, and (iii) zinc twists. Until very recently, x-ray crystallographic or NMR three-dimensional structure analyses of DNA-binding zinc proteins have not been available to serve as standards of reference for the zinc binding sites of these families of proteins. Those of the DNA-binding domains of the fungal transcription factor GAL4 and the rat glucocorticoid receptor are the first to have been determined. Both proteins contain two zinc binding sites, and in both, cysteine residues are the sole zinc ligands. In GAL4, two zinc atoms are bound to six cysteine residues which form a "zinc cluster" akin to that of metallothionein; the distance between the two zinc atoms of GAL4 is approximately 3.5 A. In the glucocorticoid receptor, each zinc atom is bound to four cysteine residues; the interatomic zinc-zinc distance is approximately 13 A, and in this instance, a "zinc twist" is represented by a helical DNA recognition site located between the two zinc atoms. Zinc clusters and zinc twists are here recognized as two distinctive motifs in DNA-binding proteins containing multiple zinc atoms. For native "zinc fingers," structural data do not exist as yet; consequently, the interatomic distances between zinc atoms are not known. As further structural data become available, the structural and functional significance of these different motifs in their binding to DNA and other proteins participating in the transmission of the genetic message will become apparent.

https://www.pnas.org/content/pnas/88/3/999.full.pdf

David S. Auld

Papers

Zinc coordination, function, and structure of zinc enzymes and other proteins

Zinc coordination sphere in biochemical zinc sites

Active-site zinc ligands and activated H2O of zinc enzymes.

Zinc fingers, zinc clusters, and zinc twists in DNA-binding protein domains

New perspective on zinc biochemistry: cocatalytic sites in multi-zinc enzymes.