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Comment
. 2008 Jun 15;22(12):1561-6.
doi: 10.1101/gad.1686808.

Intriguing parasites and intramembrane proteases

Robert B Rawson  1
Affiliations
Comment

Intriguing parasites and intramembrane proteases

Robert B Rawson. Genes Dev. .

Abstract

Rhomboid intramembrane proteases occur throughout the kingdoms of life. In this issue of Genes & Development, Baxt and colleagues (pp. 1636-1646) report that the single proteolytic rhomboid (EhROM1) from Entamoeba histolytica cleaves cell surface galactose-binding or N-acetylgalactosamine-binding (Gal/Gal-NAc) lectins. EhROM1 and lectins colocalize during phagocytosis and receptor capping. EhROM1 is found at the base of the cap rather than in the cap proper, suggesting a role in receptor shedding and implying that EhROM1 is crucial for amoebal infection.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Surface receptor capping in Entamoeba histolytica. Cartoons show amoeba cells. (A) Once antigens on the amoeba surface are recognized by host immune components (indicated by black line), they are rapidly translocated toward the posterior pole (arrows). (B) At the posterior end, membranes harboring surface receptors form into a complex array of vesicles termed the uroid prior to being shed (Silva et al. 1975).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment on

References

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