Identification and characterization of the second cysteine protease inhibitor of Clonorchis sinensis (CsStefin-2)

Parasitol Res. 2014 Jan;113(1):47-58. doi: 10.1007/s00436-013-3624-8. Epub 2013 Oct 8.

Abstract

CsStefin-2, the second cysteine protease inhibitor of Clonorchis sinensis, was identified and characterized. CsStefin-2 is a cysteine protease inhibitor that belongs to family 1 stefins based on its phylogenetic and structural properties. However, CsStefin-2 had a QIVSG cystatin motif distinct from the common QVVAG cystatin motif that is well conserved in family 1 stefins. Mutagenesis analysis revealed that the two amino acid substitutions in the QIVSG cystatin motif of CsStefin-2 did not affect its inhibitory activity. Molecular modeling also indicated that no critical change was induced in the interaction between CsStefin-2 and its target enzyme. CsStefin-2 showed broad inhibitory activities against several cysteine proteases, including human cathepsins B and L, papain, and cathepsin Fs of C. sinensis (CsCFs), and effectively inhibited the autocatalytic maturation of CsCF-6. Native CsStefin-2 was assembled into a homo-tetramer, in which intermolecular disulfide bonds are not involved in the assembly of the tetramer. CsStefin-2 was expressed throughout the various developmental stages of the parasite and was localized in the intestinal epithelium, where CsCFs are actively synthesized. These results suggest that CsStefin-2 is the second active cysteine protease inhibitor of C. sinensis that shares functional redundancy with CsStefin-1 to modulate the activity and processing of CsCFs.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Amino Acid Substitution
  • Animals
  • Cathepsin B / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Cathepsin L / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Cloning, Molecular
  • Clonorchis sinensis / genetics*
  • Clonorchis sinensis / metabolism
  • Cystatins / genetics
  • Cystatins / metabolism*
  • Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors / genetics
  • Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors / metabolism*
  • Helminth Proteins / genetics
  • Helminth Proteins / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Papain / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Phylogeny
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary

Substances

  • Cystatins
  • Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors
  • Helminth Proteins
  • Cathepsin B
  • Cathepsin L
  • Papain