Advances in bacterial extracellular metalloproteases and their pathogenic roles / 中华微生物学和免疫学杂志

ABSTRACT

Bacterial extracellular metalloproteases ( BEMPs) are a large group of metal ion-contai-ning proteases. All BEMPs identified so far are endopeptidase or endoprotease. BEMPs can be classified into nine metalloprotease families based on the sequences and structures of enzymatic molecules. Double-valence zinc ion ( Zn2+) is necessarily required by catalytic centers of most BEMPs. The main function of BEMPs in non-pathogenic heterotrophic bacteria is to hydrolyze environmental proteins and polypeptides to provide vari-ous amino acids as nutrients. However, BEMPs of pathogenic bacteria, serving as important virulence fac-tors, help the pathogens invade into hosts and spread in hosts. In recent years, the roles and mechanism of BEMPs in bacterial pathogenesis have attracted great attention. Here, we make a brief review about the structures and types as well as the functions and pathogenic roles of BEMPs.