Eggs-posed: revision of Schistosoma mansoni venom allergen-like proteins unveils new genes and offers new insights into egg-host interactions

Overall, we conclude that these "egg" SmVALs are not involved in direct host‒parasite interactions in the mammalian host and are rather proteins employed during intermediate host invasion. Our study revisits and updates the SmVAL gene family, highlighting the limitations of in silico protein function predictions while emphasizing the need for up-to-date datasets and tools together with experimental validation in host-parasite interactions. By uncovering the diversity, expression patterns, and interaction dynamics of SmVALs, we open new avenues for understanding host manipulation and reevaluating orthologous proteins in other helminths.