Characterization of Toxoplasma DegP, a rhoptry serine protease crucial for lethal infection in mice.
During the infection process, Apicomplexa discharge their secretory organelles called micronemes, rhoptries and dense granules to sustain host cell invasion, intracellular replication and to modulate host cell pathways and immune responses.Herein, we describe the Toxoplasma gondii Deg-like serine protein (TgDegP), a rhoptry protein homologous to Hi