Copper in parasitic protists - a hitherto neglected virulence factor

Abstract

Copper plays a fundamental role in aerobic metabolism, but its role is double-edged, given its toxicity. Our understanding of copper metabolism in parasites remains rudimentary, despite its significance in virulence. Here we discuss how parasitic protists control copper homeostasis and show the potential key players identified by our bioinformatic analysis.

Keywords: bioinformatic analysis; copper; parasitic protists.