RC1339/APRc from Rickettsia conorii is a novel aspartic protease with properties of retropepsin-like enzymes.
Members of the species Rickettsia are obligate intracellular, gram-negative, arthropod-borne pathogens of humans and other mammals.The life-threatening character of diseases caused by many Rickettsia species and the lack of reliable protective vaccine against rickettsioses strengthens the importance of identifying new protein factors for the potent