The Modis Lab Research

AceES-2 Structure

Hookworms are human parasites that have devastating effects on global health. Ancylostoma ceylanicum (top right and bottom left panels) infects humans and animals. A recently identified protein from excretory-secretory (ES) products of adult hookworms, A. ceylanicum excretory-secretory protein 2 (AceES-2), is highly immunoreactive and partially protective as a mucosal vaccine against hookworm-induced anemia. The crystal structure of AceES-2 (shown in cartoon representation) shows that AceES-2 adopts a netrin-like fold with structural similarity to tissue inhibitors of matrix metalloproteases (TIMPs), and complement factors C3 and C5. Structural, biochemical and sequence analyses suggest, however, that AceES-2 does is not a TIMP or complement factor but defines a novel family of nematode netrin-like proteins, which may act as cytokine decoy receptors or have other as yet unknown functions. Adapted from Warhol on Worm, a painting by Sarah Baxter.