A Disintegrin And Metalloproteinase With Thrombospondin 3 (ADAMTS3)

ADAMTS3 encodes a member of the ADAMTS (a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs) protein family. Members of the family share several distinct protein modules, including a propeptide region, a metalloproteinase domain, a disintegrin-like domain, and a thrombospondin type 1 (TS) motif.

The protein encoded by this gene is the major procollagen II N-propeptidase. A deficiency of this protein may be responsible for dermatosparaxis, a genetic defect of connective tissues.The deduced partial ADAMTS3 protein had 1,201 amino acids. In vitro transcribed/translated ADAMTS3 protein had an apparent molecular mass of larger than 100 kD by SDS-PAGE. The authors examined ADAMTS3 expression in 14 human tissues using RT-PCR.