title: Group A streptococcal M proteins: virulence factors and protective antigens.
abstract: Rebecca Lancefield described group A streptococcal M proteins over 50 years ago, and they have remained at the forefront of investigations into streptococcal pathogenicity to the present day. As described in this review, they form cell surface fibrils with several functions, ranging from resisting phagocytosis and inducing host-crossreactive antibodies, to presenting the host immune system with an accessible protective antigen.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D003429:Cross Reactions; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains / Q000276:immunology; D010587:Phagocytosis; D011487:Protein Conformation; D017433:Protein Structure, Secondary; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D012091:Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology; D013297:Streptococcus pyogenes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology; D014774:Virulence
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D000939:Epitopes; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; C014689:streptococcal M protein