An evolutionary molecular adaptation of an unusual stefin from the liver fluke Fasciola hepatica redefines the cystatin superfamily.

ABSTRACT: Fasciolosis is a worldwide parasitic disease of ruminants and an emerging human disease caused by the liver fluke Fasciola hepatica. The cystatin superfamily of cysteine protease inhibitors is composed of distinct families of intracellular stefins and secreted true cystatins. FhCyLS-2 from F. hepatica is an unusual member of the superfamily, where our sequence and 3D structure analyses in this study revealed that it combines characteristics of both families. The protein architecture demonstrates its relationship to stefins, but FhCyLS-2 also contains the secretion signal peptide and disulfide bridges typical of true cystatins. The secretion status was confirmed by detecting the presence of FhCyLS-2 in excretory/secretory products, supported by immunolocalization. Our high-resolution crysta

SUBMITTER: Busa M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9986714 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature