Decorin is a Zn(2+) Metalloprotein

Decorin is ubiquitously distributed in the extracellular matrix of mammals and a member of the proteoglycan family characterized by a core protein dominated by Leucine Rich Repeat motifs. We here demonstrate that decorin extracted from bovine tissues under denaturing conditions or produced in recombinant "native" form by cultured mammalian cells, has a high affinity for Zn(2+). Binding of Zn(2+) to decorin is demonstrated by Zn(2+) chelating chromatography and equilibrium dialyses. The Zn(2+) binding sites are localized to the N-terminal domain of the core protein that contains 4 Cys residues in the spacing reminiscent of a Zn finger. A recombinant 41 amino acid long peptide representing the N-terminal domain of decorin has full Zn(2+) binding activity and binds two Zn(2+) ions with an average K(D) of 3 x 10(exp -7) M. Biglycan, a proteoglycan that is structurally closely related to decorin contains a similar high affinity Zn(2+) binding segment, whereas the structurally more distantly related proteoglycans, epiphycan and osteoglycin, did not bind Zn(2+) with high affinity.