Elastase

An Elastase is an enzyme from the class of proteases that digests and degrades a number of proteins including Elastin.

• Context:
  • It can belong to the class of the following proteases:
    • Serine Proteinases,
    • Cysteine Proteinases
    • Metalloproteinases.
  • It can play an important immunological role of breaking down Shigella virulence factors.
  • It can also play a pathologic role in pulmonary emphysema, cystic fibrosis, infections, inflammation and atherosclerosis.
  • …
• Example(s):
  • Pancreatic Elastase (ELA-1)
  • Neutrophil Elastase (ELA-2)
• See: Serine Protease, P. Aeruginosa, Protein, Molecular Biology, Enzyme, Protease.

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References

2017

• (Wikipedia, 2017) ⇒ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elastase Retrieved:2017-7-1.
  • In molecular biology, elastase is an enzyme from the class of proteases (peptidases) that break down proteins.

    (...)

    Elastase breaks down elastin, an elastic fibre that, together with collagen, determines the mechanical properties of connective tissue. The neutrophil form breaks down the Outer membrane protein A (OmpA) of E. coli and other Gram-negative bacteria. Elastase also has the important immunological role of breaking down Shigella virulence factors. This is accomplished through the cleavage of peptide bonds in the target proteins. The specific peptide bonds cleaved are those on the carboxyl side of small, hydrophobic amino acids such as glycine, alanine, and valine. For more on how this is accomplished, see serine protease.

2001

• (Bieth, 2001) ⇒ Bieth JG (2001). “[The elastases]”. J. Soc. Biol. (in French). 195 (2): 173–9. PMID 11723830.
  • ABSTRACT: Elastases are proteinases capable of solubilizing fibrous elastin. They may belong to the class of serine proteinases, cysteine proteinases and metalloproteinases. Mammalian elastases occur mainly in the pancreas and the phagocytes. Among non-mammalian elastases there is a great variety of bacterial metallo and serine elastases. The elastolytic activity varies from one elastase to another and is usually not correlated with the catalytic efficiency of these proteinases. One may measure this activity using native or labelled elastins. With pure elastases one may use synthetic substrates. There is a large number of natural (proteins) and synthetic elastase inhibitors. Elastases play a pathologic role in pulmonary emphysema, cystic fibrosis, infections, inflammation and atherosclerosis.

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