@article {18,
	title = {Metalloproteases and egg-hatching in Pediculus humanus, the body (clothes) louse of humans (Phthiraptera: Insecta)},
	journal = {Parasitology},
	volume = {135},
	year = {2008},
	month = {2008},
	pages = {125 - 130},
	abstract = {To investigate the biochemical components of egg-hatch in the body louse, Pediculus humanus, egg-shell-washings (ESW) were collected during the first 2 h post-hatching and analysed by gelatin SDS-PAGE. These ESW contained proteases with molecular mass in the range of 25{\textendash}100 kDa; the most abundant proteases were ~25 kDa. The 3 main regions of protease activity in the one-dimensional gelatin SDS-PAGE gels resolved to at least 23 distinct regions of protease activity when analysed by two-dimensional gelatin SDS-PAGE, with iso-electric points spread over the entire 3 to 10 pH range. Mechanistic characterization indicated that the ESW contained proteases of the metallo-class, inhibited by both 1,10-phenanthroline and EDTA. Several protease inhibitors were tested for their ability to inhibit louse egg-hatch in vitro. The metalloprotease inhibitor 1,10-phenanthroline and the aminopeptidase inhibitor bestatin significantly inhibited (P<{\textperiodcentered}05) louse egg-hatch (100\% and 58\%, respectively). The presence of metalloproteases at the time of egg-hatch and the inhibition of egg-hatch in P. humanus by metalloprotease inhibitors suggests a crucial role for these proteases in the hatching of this medically important parasite.},
	author = {Bowles,V. M. and Young,A. R. and Barker,Stephen C.}
}
