Mora, Marirosa;
Bensi, Giuliano;
Capo, Sabrina;
Falugi, Fabiana;
Zingaretti, Chiara;
Manetti, Andrea G. O.;
Maggi, Tiziana;
Taddei, Anna Rita;
Grandi, Guido;
Telford, John L.
Group A Streptococcus produce pilus-like structures containing protective antigens and Lancefield T antigens
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Media type:
E-Article
Title:
Group A Streptococcus produce pilus-like structures containing protective antigens and Lancefield T antigens
Contributor:
Mora, Marirosa;
Bensi, Giuliano;
Capo, Sabrina;
Falugi, Fabiana;
Zingaretti, Chiara;
Manetti, Andrea G. O.;
Maggi, Tiziana;
Taddei, Anna Rita;
Grandi, Guido;
Telford, John L.
Published:
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2005
Published in:
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 102 (2005) 43, Seite 15641-15646
Language:
English
DOI:
10.1073/pnas.0507808102
ISSN:
0027-8424;
1091-6490
Origination:
Footnote:
Description:
Although pili have long been recognized in Gram-negative pathogens as important virulence factors involved in adhesion and invasion, very little is known about extended surface organelles in Gram-positive pathogens. Here we report that Group A Streptococcus (GAS), a Gram-positive human-specific pathogen that causes pharyngitis, impetigo, invasive disease, necrotizing fasciitis, and autoimmune sequelae has long, surface-exposed, pilus-like structures composed of members of a family of extracellular matrix-binding proteins. We describe four variant pili and show that each is recognized by a specific serum of the Lancefield T-typing system, which has been used for over five decades to characterize GAS isolates. Furthermore, we show that immunization of mice with a combination of recombinant pilus proteins confers protection against mucosal challenge with virulent GAS bacteria. The data indicate that induction of a protective immune response against these structures may be a useful strategy for development of a vaccine against disease caused by GAS infection.