Characterization of Ca2+-dependent neutral protease (calpain) from human blood flukes, Schistosoma mansoni |
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Authors: | Afzal A. Siddiqui You Zhou Ron B. Podesta Steve R. Karcz Cristina E. Tognon Gil H. Strejan Gregory A. Dekaban Michael W. Clarke |
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Affiliation: | 1. Department of Zoology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ont. Canada;2. Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ont. Canada;3. Immunology Group, The John P. Robarts Research Institute, London, Ont. Canada |
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Abstract: | Calcium-dependent, neutral cysteine-proteases (calpain) were purified from human blood flukes, Schistosoma mansoni. The electrophoretic mobilities, Western blot analyses and high specificity to peptide inhibitors confirmed the presence of both calpain I and II in the purified preparation. The schistosome calpains were localized in the surface syncytial epithelium and underlying musculature. Using peptide inhibitors, calpain was shown to function as a mediator of the surface membrane synthetic process. Since there was also no immunological cross-reactivity between vertebrate and schistosome calpains using antibodies affinity-purified from native and recombinant schistosome calpains, this protease may be usefully investigated as forming the basis of a molecular vaccine against schistosomiasis. |
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Keywords: | Calpain Schistosome Membrane turnover Syncytical epithelium |
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