NOVEL PARASITE PROTEASE GENES AND PROTEINS

摘要

The present invention relates to parasite astacin metalloendopeptidase and filariid cysteine protease proteins, nucleic acid molecules having sequences that encode such proteins, antibodies raised against such proteins and compounds that can inhibit the activities of parasite astacin metalloendopeptidases or cysteine proteases. The present invention also includes methods to obtain such nucleic acid molecules, proteins, antibodies and inhibitors. The present invention also includes therapeutic compositions comprising such nucleic acid molecules, proteins, antibodies and inhibitors as well as their use to protect animals from disease caused by parasites, such as heartworm.