title: Characterization of fibrinolytic activities of Treponema denticola.
abstract: Several fibrinolytic activities of Treponema denticola, an oral spirochete associated with gingivitis and periodontal disease, were identified and characterized following phase partitioning with the nonionic detergent Triton X-114. The apparent molecular masses of the proteases ranged from 91 to 228 kDa when analyzed in sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels containing fibrinogen as the protease substrate. A qualitative analysis of zymograms showed that the proteases were highly enriched in the detergent phase, although the 91-, 173-, and 228-kDa proteases were also found in the aqueous phase. Zymograms of crude outer sheaths prepared by repeated freezing-thawing revealed that the proteases may be associated with this subcellular compartment. The proteases displayed substrate specificity towards fibrinogen, were susceptible to sulfhydryl group reagents, and had a pH optimum between 7 and 8. The similarities in their sensitivity to inhibitors, temperature stability, pH optimum, and laddered protein profiles suggest that these hydrolytic enzymes may be part of a family of oligomeric proteases that may play an important role in the invasiveness of and tissue damage caused by the spirochete.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Biology, Hebrew University-Hadassah Faculty of Dental Medicine, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rosen
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Naor
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kutner
authors.forename: M N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Sela
mesh_terms: D010450:Endopeptidases / Q000032:analysis*; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000378:metabolism; D005881:Gingiva / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008970:Molecular Weight; D011480:Protease Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D013696:Temperature; D014208:Treponema / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000472:pathogenicity
chemical_list: D011480:Protease Inhibitors; D005340:Fibrinogen; D010450:Endopeptidases