Studies on achromobacter iophagus and other collagenolytic hide bacteria

Abstract

From Introduction: Collagenases are enzymes capable of specifically attacking the native collagen helix under non-denaturing conditions at physiological conditions of pH, temperature and salt concentration. They are active only on collagen or its breakdown products and are without effect on any other fibrous or globular protein. In the laboratory, collagenases are used in investigations of the biosynthesis of collagen and for structural and immunochemical studies of collagens and collagen-like proteins; also they are proving their worth as agents for facilitating tissue transplantation and for cell-dispersion in tissue cultures . Established clinical applications of collagenases include the treatment of burns and dermal lesions; in addition they are being evaluated as agents for the removal of undesirable tissues such as herniated intervertebral discs and the sloughs resulting from cryogenic or cauterizing procedures. Moreover, as human collagenases are implicated in various pathological disorders involving connective tissue degradation, the roles played by these collagenases are being investigated in the hope of finding ways to arrest, control or treat the diseases.