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We identified 2 novel genes encoding different 2-Cys peroxiredoxins (PRxs), designated CsPRx2 and CsPRx3, in Clonorchis sinensis, which invades the human hepatobiliary tracts. The CsPRx2 gene expression was temporally increased along with the parasite's development and its protein product was detected in almost all parts of adult worms including subtegument, as well as excretory-secretory products. Conversely, CsPRx3 expression was temporally maintained at a basal level and largely restricted within interior parts of various tissues/organs. The recombinant forms of CsPRx proteins exhibited reducing activity against various hydroperoxides in the presence of either thioredoxin or glutathione (GSH) as a reducing equivalent, although they preferred H2O2 and GSH as a catalytic substrate and electron donor, respectively. A steady-state kinetic study demonstrated that the CsPRx proteins followed a saturable, Michaelis-Menten-type equation with the catalytic efficiencies (kcat/Km) ranging from 103 to 104 M−1 s−1, somewhat lower than those for other PRxs studied (104–105 M−1 s−1). The expression patterns and histological distributions specific to CsPRx2 and CsPRx3 might suggest different physiological functions of the antioxidant enzymes in protecting the worms against oxidative damage. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]