MMPs are part of a group of transmembrane zinc containing
endopeptidases which include collagenases and gelatinases.
Collagenases are metalloproteinases capable of
cleaving other molecules found within the cell for example
collagenase-2 (MMP-8) can cleave aggrecan, elastin,
fibronectin, gelatine and laminin as well as collagen [11].
Collagenase cleaves the X-gly bond of collagen and also
synthetic peptides that contain the sequence -Pro-X-Gly-
Pro where X is almost any amino acid provided that the
amino terminus is blocked [12]. Collagenase from the
bacteria Clostridium histolyticum (ChC) also degrades
ECM. This bacterial collagenase hydrolyses triple-helical
collagen in both physiological conditions and in vitro conditions
using synthetic peptides as substrates [10,12]. In
this study ChC was used to test the extracts for anti-collagenase
activity.