Molecular characterisation of a Cryptosporidium parvum rhoptry protein candidate related to the rhoptry neck proteins TgRON1 of Toxoplasma gondii and PfASP of Plasmodium falciparum

► Cloning of the first putative rhoptry protein of Cryptosporidium parvum (CpPRP1). ► CpPRP1 is related to rhoptry neck proteins of Toxoplasma gondi and Plasmodium spp. ► CpPRP1 is implicated in a multi-subunit protein complex. ► Localization of CpPRP1 to the apical end of sporozoites and merozoites. ► Early in invasion CpPRP1 is relocalised to the parasite-host cell interface.