Metacaspase of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (ScMCA-Ia) presents different catalytic cysteine in a processed and non-processed form.

Metacaspases are cysteine proteases belonging to the CD clan of the C14 family. They possess important characteristics, such as specificity for cleavage after basic residues (Arg/Lys) and dependence on calcium ions to exert their catalytic activity. They are defined by the presence of a large subunit (p20) and a small subunit (p10) and are classified into types I, II, and III.

Cysteine proteases as potential targets for anti-trypanosomatid drug discovery.

Leishmaniasis and trypanosomiasis are endemic neglected disease in South America and Africa and considered a significant public health problem, mainly in poor communities. The limitations of the current available therapeutic options, including the lack of specificity, relatively high toxicity, and the drug resistance acquiring, drive the constant search for new targets and therapeutic options. Advances in knowledge of parasite biology have revealed essential enzymes involved in the replication, survival, and pathogenicity of Leishmania and Trypanosoma species.