Giardia Cysteine Proteases: The Teeth behind the Smile

Increasing interest has recently been directed towards parasite CPs, and more specifically catBs and catLs, as virulence factors and targets for therapeutic intervention. Giardia CP activity is implicated in intestinal barrier dysfunction, mucus depletion and microbiota biofilm alteration during infection. Recent proteomic profile analysis of Giardia trophozoites in axenic cultures and upon attachment to intestinal epithelial cells has suggested...