title: ADAMTS: a novel family of extracellular matrix proteases.
abstract: ADAMTS (a disintegrin and metalloprotease with thrombospondin motifs) is a novel family of extracellular proteases found in both mammals and invertebrates. Members of the family may be distinguished from the ADAM (a disintegrin and metalloprotease) family members based on the multiple copies of thrombospondin 1-like repeats they carry. With at least nine members in mammals alone, the ADAMTS family members are predicted by their structural domains to be extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins with a wide range of activities and functions distinct from members of the ADAM family that are largely anchored on the cell surface. ADAMTS2 is a procollagen N-proteinase, and the mutations of its gene are responsible for Human Ehlers-Danlos syndrome type VII C and bovine dermatosparaxis. ADAMTS4 and ADAMTS5 are aggrecanases implicated in the degradation of cartilage aggrecan in arthritic diseases. Other members of the ADAMTS family have also been implicated in roles during embryonic development and angiogenesis. Current and future studies on this emerging group of ECM proteases may provide important insights into developmental or pathological processes involving ECM remodeling.
authors.affiliation: Central Imaging and Histology Facility, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, 30 Medical Drive, Singapore 117609, Singapore. mcbtbl@imcb.nus.edu.sg
authors.forename: B L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Tang
mesh_terms: D051722:ADAM Proteins; D000071096:ADAMTS Proteins; D000071097:ADAMTS1 Protein; D000071121:ADAMTS4 Protein; D000071116:ADAMTS5 Protein; D000818:Animals; D019483:Disintegrins / Q000502:physiology; D004535:Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome / Q000201:enzymology; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000201:enzymology; D006801:Humans; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000502:physiology*; D005810:Multigene Family; D010802:Phylogeny; D011348:Procollagen N-Endopeptidase / Q000502:physiology; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary
chemical_list: D019483:Disintegrins; D051722:ADAM Proteins; D000071096:ADAMTS Proteins; D000071097:ADAMTS1 Protein; C103859:ADAMTS1 protein, human; D000071116:ADAMTS5 Protein; C121532:ADAMTS5 protein, human; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases; C000609307:ADAMTS2 protein, human; D011348:Procollagen N-Endopeptidase; D000071121:ADAMTS4 Protein; C000603918:ADAMTS4 protein, human