title: Gingipain aminopeptidase activities in Porphyromonas gingivalis.
abstract: Bestatin, a specific inhibitor of metalloaminopeptidases,inhibits the growth of Porphyromonas gingivalis. To identify its target enzyme, a library of fluorescent substrates was used but no metalloaminopeptidase activity was found. The aminopeptidase activity of P. gingivalis was bestatin-insensitive and directed exclusively toward N-terminal arginine and lysine substrates. Class-specific inhibitors and gingipain-null mutants showed that gingipains were the only enzymes responsible for this activity.The kinetic constants obtained for Rgps were comparable to those of human aminopeptidases but Kgp aminopeptidase activity was weaker. This finding reveals a new role for gingipains as aminopeptidases in the degradation of proteins and peptides in P. gingivalis.
authors.affiliation: Oral Health and Systemic Diseases Research Group, University of Louisville School of Dentistry, Louisville, KY, USA. ftveil01@louisville.edu
authors.forename: Florian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Veillard
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Potempa
authors.forename: Marcin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Poreba
authors.forename: Marcin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Drag
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Potempa
mesh_terms: D018829:Adhesins, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000626:Aminopeptidases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D016866:Bacteroidaceae Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D017353:Gene Deletion; D000080867:Gingipain Cysteine Endopeptidases; D006801:Humans; D007930:Leucine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D016966:Porphyromonas gingivalis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D013379:Substrate Specificity
chemical_list: D018829:Adhesins, Bacterial; D000080867:Gingipain Cysteine Endopeptidases; D000626:Aminopeptidases; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases; D007930:Leucine; C012211:ubenimex