Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0001511 (Adhesion)
 5,955 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Streptococcus intermedius is found in biofilms on teeth and as a commensal member of the gastrointestinal and urinary floras, but may also be associated with deep-seated purulent infections and infective endocarditis. S. intermedius produces hyaluronidase, an enzyme that breaks down hyaluronan (HA), a major component of the extracellular matrix of connective tissue. We investigated the involvement of hyaluronidase in S. intermedius biofilm formation and dispersal as well as adhesion to human cells. The hyaluronidase activity and expression of the hyl gene were higher in growth media supplemented with HA. Inactivation of the S. intermedius hyaluronidase resulted in a mutant that formed up to 31 % more biofilm in media supplemented with HA. Hyaluronidase added to the medium caused dispersal of S. intermedius biofilm. Adhesion to epithelial cells was similar in the wild-type and the hyaluronidase mutant. We concluded that hyaluronidase may be important for S. intermedius detachment from biofilms but not for adhesion to epithelial cells. The ability of S. intermedius to detach from the surface and to spread may be crucial in the pathogenicity of this micro-organism.
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PMID:Role of hyaluronidase in Streptococcus intermedius biofilm. 1831 39

The molecular mechanisms underlying sperm penetration of the physical barriers surrounding the oocyte have not been completely delineated. Although neutral-active or "reproductive" hyaluronidases (hyases), exemplified by Sperm Adhesion Molecule 1 (SPAM1), are thought to be responsible for hyaluronan digestion in the egg vestments and for sperm-zona binding, their roles in mouse sperm have been recently questioned. Here we report that acidic "somatic" Hyaluronidase 3 (HYAL3), a homolog of SPAM1 with 74.6% structural similarity, exists in two isoforms in human ( approximately 47 and approximately 55 kDa) and mouse ( approximately 44 and approximately 47 kDa) sperm, where it resides on the plasma membrane over the head and midpiece. Mouse isoforms are differentially distributed in the soluble (SAP), membrane (MBP), and acrosome-reacted (AR) fraction where they are most abundant. Comparisons of zymography of Hyal3 null and wild-type (WT) AR and MBP fractions show significant HYAL3 activity at pH 3 and 4, and less at pH 7. At pH 4, a second acid-active hyase band at approximately 57 kDa is present in the AR fraction. HYAL3 activity was confirmed using immunoprecipitated HYAL3 and spectrophotometry. In total proteins, hyase activity was higher at pH 6 than at 4, where Spam1 nulls had significantly (P < 0.01) diminished activity implicating an acidic optima for murine SPAM1. Although fully fertile, Hyal3 null sperm showed delayed cumulus penetration and reduced acrosomal exocytosis. HYAL3 is expressed in epididymal tissue/fluid, from where it is acquired by caudal mouse sperm in vitro. Our results reveal concerted activity of both neutral- and acid-active hyaluronidases in sperm.
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PMID:Acidic hyaluronidase activity is present in mouse sperm and is reduced in the absence of SPAM1: evidence for a role for hyaluronidase 3 in mouse and human sperm. 2058 96