Rhomboid Protease Phylogeny and Localization in Cryptosporidium Parasite

Three rhomboid proteases (CpRom1, CpRom2, CpRom3) were identified and analyzed in the Cryptosporidium parvum parasite. The study details their phylogenetic origin, structural motifs, and distinct subcellular localization in sporozoite cells. Authored by Ilaria Vanni and published on figshare in April 2026.

Use Cases

• Compare structural domain classifications of CpRom1, CpRom2, and CpRom3 as mixed secretases.
• Analyze phylogenetic clusters based on catalytic site similarities with Toxoplasma gondii and Plasmodium falciparum orthologs.
• Map the distinct subcellular localizations of the three rhomboids in sporozoite cells (e.g., apical complex, posterior pole, entire surface).
• Investigate the genomic absence of the PARL-like rhomboid gene in intestinal Cryptosporidium species versus its presence in gastric species.
• Evaluate the list of 10 candidate membrane protein substrates for C. parvum rhomboids.

Strengths

• Phylogenetic analysis includes comparisons across multiple Cryptosporidium species and other apicomplexans like Toxoplasma and Plasmodium.
• Provides specific subcellular localization data for three distinct rhomboid proteases in sporozoites.
• Identifies 10 candidate substrate proteins based on similarity and co-localization evidence.

Limitations

• Dataset is a single 148 KB PDF document, not a structured data table, limiting computational analysis.
• No raw sequence alignment or quantitative measurement data is provided in the description.
• Analysis is specific to Cryptosporidium parvum, limiting direct applicability to other parasite systems.

Provenance

Source

figshare

Collection Method

Bioinformatic and phylogenetic analysis of genomic data, combined with cellular localization study.

Time Range

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Freshness

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Geography

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