Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
Adv Exp Med Biol. 2011;712:49-61. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4419-8414-2_4.
Cysteine proteases are important for the growth and survival of apicomplexan parasites that infect humans. The apicomplexan Toxoplasma gondii expresses five members of the C1 family of cysteine proteases, including one cathepsin L-like (TgCPL), one cathepsin B-like (TgCPB) and three cathepsin C-like (TgCPC1, 2 and 3) proteases. Recent genetic, biochemical and structural studies reveal that cathepsins function in microneme and rhoptry protein maturation, host cell invasion, replication and nutrient acquisition. here, we review the key features and roles of T. gondii cathepsins and discuss the therapeutic potential for specific inhibitor development.
半胱氨酸蛋白酶对于感染人类的顶复门寄生虫的生长和存活很重要。顶复门的刚地弓形虫表达五个半胱氨酸蛋白酶 C1 家族成员,包括一个组织蛋白酶 L 样(TgCPL)、一个组织蛋白酶 B 样(TgCPB)和三个组织蛋白酶 C 样(TgCPC1、2 和 3)蛋白酶。最近的遗传、生化和结构研究表明,组织蛋白酶在微线体和棒状体蛋白成熟、宿主细胞入侵、复制和营养获取中发挥作用。在这里,我们回顾了刚地弓形虫组织蛋白酶的关键特征和作用,并讨论了特异性抑制剂开发的治疗潜力。