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Hookworm Aspartic Protease, Na-APR-2, Cleaves Human Hemoglobin and Serum Proteins in a Host-Specific Fashion.
- Source :
-
Journal of Infectious Diseases . 2/1/2003, Vol. 187 Issue 3, p484. 11p. - Publication Year :
- 2003
-
Abstract
- Hookworms are voracious blood-feeders. The cloning and functional expression of an aspartic protease, Na-APR-2, from the human hookworm Necator americanus are described here. Na-APR-2 is more similar to a family of nematode-specific, aspartic proteases than it is to cathepsin D or pepsin, and the term "nemepsins" for members of this family of nematode-specific hydrolases is proposed. Na-apr-2 mRNA was detected in blood-feeding, developmental stages only of N. americanus, and the protease was expressed in the intestinal lumen, amphids, and excretory glands. Recombinant Na-APR-2 cleaved human hemoglobin (Hb) and serum proteins almost twice as efficiently as the orthologous substrates from the nonpermissive dog host. Moreover, only 25% of the Na-APR-2 cleavage sites within human Hb were shared with those generated by the related N. americanus cathepsin D, Na-APR-1. Antiserum against Na-APR-2 inhibited migration of 50% of third-stage N. americanus larvae through skin, which suggests that aspartic proteases might be effective vaccines against human hookworm disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- *HOOKWORMS
*ASPARTIC proteinases
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 00221899
- Volume :
- 187
- Issue :
- 3
- Database :
- Academic Search Index
- Journal :
- Journal of Infectious Diseases
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 9152572
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1086/367708