Decorin-type I collagen interaction. Presence of separate core protein-binding domains.

Interactions between the core protein of the small dermatan sulfate proteoglycan decorin and type I collagen have been considered to influence the kinetics of collagen fibrillogenesis and the diameter of and the distance between the fibrils. A variety of recombinant core protein fragments were expressed in Escherichia coli, extracted from inclusion bodies, and renatured in the presence of bovine serum albumin, which was essential for obtaining functional activity. A recombinant protein lacking the first 14 amino acids of the mature core protein (P15-329) interacted with reconstituted type I collagen fibrils and inhibited collagen fibrillogenesis almost as efficiently as intact decorin purified from fibroblast secretions under non-denaturing conditions. Peptides comprising amino acids 15-183 (P15-183) and 185-329 (P185-329) were able to compete for the binding of wild-type decorin, with P15-183 being more active than P185-329. Several other peptides were much less effective. Binding studies using radioactively labeled peptides P15-183 and P185-329 gave direct evidence for the independent binding of both peptides. Peptides 15-183 and 15-125 had the capability of inhibiting collagen fibrillogenesis, whereas peptide 185-329 was inactive. These data suggest (i) that there are at least two separate binding domains for the interaction between decorin core protein and type I collagen and (ii) that binding is not necessarily correlated with an alteration of collagen fibrillogenesis.