The cDNA cloning and expression of the gene encoding rat gelatinase B.

During a study aimed at defining the role of tissue remodeling genes implicated in wound healing, we isolated cDNA clones encoding gelatinase B (GelB) from a cDNA library derived from healing rat skin wound. The predicted rat GelB comprising 708 amino acids shows 75% and 82% identity with the human and mouse GelB, respectively. By Northern blot analysis, two GelB transcripts of 2.4 and 3.0 kb were observed in rat tissues, and shown to arise through the differential use of polyadenylation signals. Recombinant rat pro-GelB produced in transfected COS-1 cells exhibited a molecular weight of 92 kDa, as shown by gelatin zymography. Autocatalytic processing to active lower-molecular-weight forms was induced by 4-aminophenylmercuric acetate, and this process was inhibited in the presence of EDTA.