Using fluorogenic peptide substrates to assay matrix metalloproteinases.

A continuous assay method, such as the one that utilizes an increase in fluorescence upon hydrolysis, allows for rapid and convenient kinetic evaluation of proteases. To better understand MMP behaviors and to aid in the design of MMP inhibitors, a variety of sequence specificity, phage display, and combinatorial chemistry studies have been performed. Results of these studies have been valuable for defining the differences in MMPs and for creating quenched fluorescent substrates that utilize fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET)/intramolecular fluorescence energy transfer (IFET). FRET triple-helical substrates have been constructed to examine the collagenolytic activity of MMP family members. The present chapter provides an overview of MMP and related FRET substrates and describes how to construct and utilize these substrates.