Dissecting the Active Site of the Collagenolytic Cathepsin L3 Protease of the Invasive Stage of Fasciola hepatica

摘要

BackgroundA family of secreted cathepsin L proteases with differential activities is essential for host colonization and survival in the parasitic flatworm Fasciola hepatica. While the blood feeding adult secretes predominantly FheCL1, an enzyme with a strong preference for Leu at the S2 pocket of the active site, the infective stage produces FheCL3, a unique enzyme with collagenolytic activity that favours Pro at P2.