Cryptosporidium parvum Subtilisin-Like Serine Protease (SUB1) Is Crucial for Parasite Egress from Host Cells.

ABSTRACT: Despite the severity and global burden of Cryptosporidium infection, treatments are less than optimal, and there is no effective vaccine. Egress from host cells is a key process for the completion of the life cycle of apicomplexan parasites. For Plasmodium species, subtilisin-like serine protease (SUB1) is a key mediator of egress. For Toxoplasma species, calcium-dependent protein kinases (CDPKs) are critical. In this study, we characterized Cryptosporidium SUB1 expression and evaluated its effect using an infection model. We found increased expression between 12 and 20 h after in vitro infection, prior to egress. We induced silencing of SUB1 (ΔSUB1) mRNA using SUB1 single-stranded antisense RNA coupled with human Argonaute 2. Silencing of SUB1 mRNA expression did not affect parasite viabi

SUBMITTER: Nava S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6479043 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature