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Cited 6 time in webofscience Cited 4 time in scopus
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A Novel Cysteine Protease Inhibitor of Naegleria fowleri That Is Specifically Expressed during Encystation and at Mature Cystsopen access

Authors
Le, Huong GiangHam, A-JeongKang, Jung-MiVo, Tuan CuongNaw, HaungSohn, Hae-JinShin, Ho-JoonNa, Byoung-Kuk
Issue Date
Apr-2021
Publisher
MDPI
Keywords
Naegleria fowleri; cysteine protease inhibitor; encystation; cyst
Citation
PATHOGENS, v.10, no.4
Indexed
SCIE
SCOPUS
Journal Title
PATHOGENS
Volume
10
Number
4
URI
https://scholarworks.gnu.ac.kr/handle/sw.gnu/3879
DOI
10.3390/pathogens10040388
ISSN
2076-0817
2076-0817
Abstract
Naegleria fowleri is a free-living amoeba that is ubiquitous in diverse natural environments. It causes a fatal brain infection in humans known as primary amoebic meningoencephalitis. Despite the medical importance of the parasitic disease, there is a great lack of knowledge about the biology and pathogenicity of N. fowleri. In this study, we identified and characterized a novel cysteine protease inhibitor of N. fowleri (NfCPI). NfCPI is a typical cysteine protease inhibitor belonging to the cystatin family with a Gln-Val-Val-Ala-Gly (QVVAG) motif, a characteristic motif conserved in the cystatin family of proteins. Bacterially expressed recombinant NfCPI has a dimeric structure and exhibits inhibitory activity against several cysteine proteases including cathespin Bs of N. fowleri at a broad range of pH values. Expression profiles of nfcpi revealed that the gene was highly expressed during encystation and cyst of the amoeba. Western blot and immunofluorescence assays also support its high level of expression in cysts. These findings collectively suggest that NfCPI may play a critical role in encystation or cyst formation of N. fowleri by regulating cysteine proteases that may mediate encystation or mature cyst formation of the amoeba. More comprehensive studies to investigate the roles of NfCPI in encystation and its target proteases are necessary to elucidate the regulatory mechanism and the biological significance of NfCPI.
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