Molecular characterization of matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) in Lucilia sericata   larvae for potential therapeutic applications

Background: The salivary glands of Lucilia sericata are the first organs to express specific endopeptidase enzymes. These enzymes play a central role in wound healing, and they have potential to be used therapeutically.
Methods: Rapid amplification of cDNA ends and rapid amplification of genomic ends were used to identify the coding sequence of MMP-1 from L. sericata. Different segments of MMP1 gene, namely the middle part, 3′ end, and 5′ end, were cloned, sequenced, and analyzed using bioinformatics tools to determine the distinct features of MMP-1 protein.
Results: Assembling the different segments revealed that the complete mRNA sequence of MMP-1 is 1932 bp long. CDS is 1212 bp long and is responsible for the production of MMP-1 of 404 amino acid residues with a predicted molecular weight of 45.1 kDa. The middle part, 3′ end, and 5′ end sequences were 933, 503, and 496 bp. In addition, it was revealed that the MMP-1 genomic sequence includes three exons and two introns. Furthermore, the three-dimensional structure of L. sericata MMP-1 protein was evaluated, and its alignment defined that it has high similarity to chain A of human MMP-2 with 100% confidence, 72% coverage, and 38% identity according to the SWISS-MODEL modeling analysis.
Conclusions:MMP-1 of L. sericata has a close relationshipwith its homologs in invertebrates and other insects. The present study significantly contributes to understanding the function, classification, and evolution of the characterized MMP-1 from L. sericata and provides basic required information for the development of an effective medical bioproduct.

Keywords
Alignment; Bioinformatics; Calliphoridae; Endopeptidase; Insects; Rapid Amplification of Genomic Ends; Rapid amplification cDNA ends; Regenerative medicine; Salivary glands; Three-dimensional structure; Wound healing