biomolecules Article Trypanosoma cruzi Presenilin-Like Transmembrane Aspartyl Protease: Characterization and Cellular Localization Guilherme C. Lechuga 1,2, Paloma Napoleão-Pêgo 1, Carolina C. G. Bottino 1, Rosa T. Pinho 4, David W. Provance-Jr 1,3 and Salvatore G. De-Simone 1,5,* 1 Center for Technological Development in Health/National Institute of Science and Technology for Innovation on Diseases of Neglected Population (INCT-IDPN), FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil;
[email protected] (G.C.L.); paloma.pego@cdts.fiocruz.br (P.N.-P.);
[email protected] (C.C.G.B.); bill.provance@cdts.fiocruz.br (D.W.P.-J.) 2 Cellular Ultrastructure Laboratory, FIOCRUZ, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil 3 Interdisciplinary Medical Research Laboratory, FIOCRUZ, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil 4 Clinical Immunology Laboratory, FIOCRUZ, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil; rospinho@ioc.fiocruz.br 5 Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Federal Fluminense University, Niterói 24220-008, Brazil * Correspondence: salvatore.dsimone@cdts.fiocruz.br; Tel.: +55-21-3865-8183 Received: 30 September 2020; Accepted: 9 November 2020; Published: 17 November 2020 Abstract: The increasing detection of infections of Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas disease, in non-endemic regions beyond Latin America has risen to be a major public health issue. With an impact in the millions of people, current treatments rely on antiquated drugs that produce severe side effects and are considered nearly ineffective for the chronic phase. The minimal progress in the development of new drugs highlights the need for advances in basic research on crucial biochemical pathways in T.