Key points are not available for this paper at this time.
New computer comparisons of the sequences of mammalian matrix metalloproteinases have established for the first time strong links with bacterial metalloproteinases. We also propose that there are five groups in the family of matrix metalloproteinases, although only three are as yet well-characterized as proteins, and discuss their origin and relationships with other zinc containing proteases.
Murphy et al. (Mon,) studied this question.