Crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic studies of Pz peptidase A from Geobacillus collagenovorans MO-1

Pz peptidase A is an intracellular M3 metallopeptidase found in the thermophile Geobacillus collagenovorans MO-1 that recognizes collagen-specific tripeptide units (Gly-Pro-Xaa). Pz peptidase A shares common reactions with mammalian thimet oligopeptidase (TOP) and neurolysin, but has extremely low primary sequence identity to these enzymes. In this work, Pz peptidase A was cocrystallized with a phosphine peptide inhibitor (PPI) that selectively inhibits TOP and neurolysin. The crystals belong to space group P2(1), with unit-cell parameters a = 56.38, b = 194.15, c = 59.93 angstrom, beta = 106.22 degrees. This is the first crystallographic study of an M3 family peptidase-PPI complex.