%0 Journal Article %T Gelatin degradation assay reveals MMP-9 inhibitors and function of O-glycosylated domain %A Jennifer Vandooren %A Nathalie Geurts %A Erik Martens %A Philippe E Van den Steen %J World Journal of Biological Chemistry %D 2011 %I Baishideng Publishing Group Co. Limited %X AIM: To establish a novel, sensitive and high-throughput gelatinolytic assay to define new inhibitors and compare domain deletion mutants of gelatinase B/matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9.METHODS: Fluorogenic Dye-quenched (DQ) -gelatin was used as a substrate and biochemical parameters (substrate and enzyme concentrations, DMSO solvent concentrations) were optimized to establish a high-throughput assay system. Various small-sized libraries (ChemDiv, InterBioScreen and ChemBridge) of heterocyclic, drug-like substances were tested and compared with prototypic inhibitors.RESULTS: First, we designed a test system with gelatin as a natural substrate. Second, the assay was validated by selecting a novel pyrimidine-2,4,6-trione (barbiturate) inhibitor. Third, and in line with present structural data on collagenolysis, it was found that deletion of the O-glycosylated region significantly decreased gelatinolytic activity (kcat/kM ¡À 40% less than full-length MMP-9).CONCLUSION: The DQ -gelatin assay is useful in high-throughput drug screening and exosite targeting. We demonstrate that flexibility between the catalytic and hemopexin domain is functionally critical for gelatinolysis. %K Exosite inhibitors %K Fluorogenic substrate %K Gelatin %K High-throughput screening assays %K Matrix metalloproteinase-9 %K Substrate specificity %U http://www.wjgnet.com/1949-8454/full/v2/i1/14.htm