The human blood parasite Schistosoma mansoni expresses extracellular tegumental calpains that cleave the blood clotting protein fibronectin.

ABSTRACT: Schistosomes are intravascular, parasitic flatworms that cause debilitating disease afflicting >200 million people. Proteins expressed at the host-parasite interface likely play key roles in modifying the worm's local environment to ensure parasite survival. Proteomic analysis reveals that two proteases belonging to the calpain family (SmCalp1 and SmCalp2) are expressed in the Schistosoma mansoni tegument. We have cloned both; while highly conserved in domain organization they display just 31% amino acid sequence identity. Both display high relative expression in the parasite's intravascular life forms. Immunolocalization and activity based protein profiling experiments confirm the presence of the enzymes at the host-parasite interface. Living parasites exhibit surface calpain activity tha

SUBMITTER: Wang Q 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5635006 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature