Abstract: Collagen, one of the most abundant proteins in mammals, is hardly degraded by conventional proteases due to its special triple-helix structure. Collagenase is able to cleave collagen under physiological conditions, which has been widely applied in the medicinal and food industries. A lot of research has been done on collagenase from Clostridium histolyticum. In this review, we summarize the structural characteristics, the collagenolytic mechanism, the current status of production, and the application of collagenase (Col) G and ColH from Clostridium histolyticum in order to provide a rationale for further development and utilization of collagenase.

Key words: Clostridium histolyticum; collagenase; collagenolytic mechanism; heterologous expression