title: [Research progress on cathepsin F of parasitic helminths].
abstract: Cathepsin F is an important member of papain-like subfamily in cysteine protease family. Cathepsin F of helminth parasites can hydrolyze the specific substrate, degrade host protein such as hemoglobin for nutrition, and be involved in invasion into host tissue. Therefore, cathepsin F serves as a potential target for parasitic disease immunodiagnosis, vaccine design and anti-parasite drug screening. This article reviews the structural characteristics and mechanisms of cathepsin F, and research advances on cathepsin F of parasitic helminths.
authors.forename: Zi-Gang
authors.initials: ZG
authors.lastname: Qu
authors.forename: Bao-Quan
authors.initials: BQ
authors.lastname: Fu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D056646:Cathepsin F; D006376:Helminths / Q000201:enzymology*
chemical_list: D056646:Cathepsin F