Proteases as Therapeutic Targets Against the Parasitic Cnidarian Ceratonova shasta: Characterization of Molecules Key to Parasite Virulence In Salmonid Hosts.

ABSTRACT: Proteases and their inhibitors play critical roles in host-parasite interactions and in the outcomes of infections. Ceratonova shasta is a myxozoan pathogen that causes enteronecrosis in economically important salmonids from the Pacific Northwest of North America. This cnidarian parasite has host-specific genotypes with varying virulence, making it a powerful system to decipher virulence mechanisms in myxozoans. Using C. shasta genome and transcriptome, we identified four proteases of different catalytic types: cathepsin D (aspartic), cathepsin L and Z-like (cysteine) and aminopeptidase-N (metallo); and a stefin (cysteine protease inhibitor), which implied involvement in virulence and hence represent target molecules for the development of therapeutic strategies. We character

SUBMITTER: Alama-Bermejo G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8777295 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature