0804 Processing of Ameloblastin by MMP-20
T. IWATA1, Y. YAMAKOSHI1, I. ISHIKAWA2, J.C. HU1, and J.P. SIMMER1, 1University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA, 2Tokyo Medical & Dental University, Japan

Porcine ameloblastin (AMBN) is a secreted O-glycoprotein having 395 amino acids and an apparent Mr on SDS-PAGE of ~65 kDa. AMBN cleavage products are the most abundant nonamelogenin proteins in secretory stage enamel. AMBN N-terminal cleavage products are relatively stable and accumulate in the sheath space between enamel rods. They migrate as three bands on SDS-PAGE: 17 kDa, Val1-Arg170; 15 kDa, Val1-Gln130; and 13 kDa, Met32-Gln130. In contrast, C-terminal AMBN peptides localize to the enamel rod and do not accumulate in the matrix. MMP-20 (enamelysin) is the predominant protease in secretory stage enamel. Objective: to test the hypothesis that MMP-20 is the protease that cleaves AMBN. Methods: For recombinant expression, amplified porcine AMBN cDNA was ligated into pEF6/V5-His-TOPO (Invitrogen), which fused histo-V5-epitope tags to the AMBN C-terminus. 293-F cells were transfected with the expression construct and grown in serum-free FreeStyle 293 expression medium. Recombinant porcine enamelysin was expressed in bacteria. Recombinant AMBN and recombinant MMP-20 were both isolated using a TALON affinity column (Clontech) followed by RP-HPLC. AMBN and MMP-20 were incubated together at an enzyme: substrate ratio of 1:100. The digestion products were fractionated by RP-HPLC, analyzed by SDS-PAGE and densitometry, transblotted to a PVDF membrane and analyzed by Edman sequencing and MALDI mass spectrometry. Results: Recombinant AMBN migrates as a wide band between 65 and 75 kDa that is completely digested by enamelysin in 24 h. After 10 min, the wide AMBN band is diminished, while a broad smear band centered at 50 kDa appears, along with a triplet of lower molecular weight bands. Conclusions: Enamelysin cleaves AMBN in vitro in a pattern that closely matches the AMBN cleavage products that are observed in vivo, and is likely process AMBN during amelogenesis. This study is supported by NIDCR grant 12769 and DE15846.

Seq #70 - Mechanisms of Odontogenesis
11:00 AM-12:00 PM, Thursday, 29 June 2006 Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre Exhibit Hall 1

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