Distribution of fibronectin-binding proteins among group A streptococci of different M types.
Binding of fibronectin by group A streptococci (GAS) promotes adherence to epithelial cells. The fibronectin-binding activity and the presence of prtF, a gene encoding a fibronectin-binding protein, were studied among 109 strains. Fifty-six strains of 42 different M types possessed prtF-related genes, and 89% of these strains bound fibronectin at high levels. The prtF-related genes varied in the number of repeats that constitute one of its two fibronectin-binding domains. Fifty-three strains of 21 different M types lacked prtF. Thirty-nine of these (74%), representing 13 different M types, bound fibronectin at very low levels. However, 9 (17%), of 5 different M types, bound fibronectin at high levels. The presence of prtF and the capacity to bind fibronectin correlated strongly with the M type of various strains of GAS. This correlation may suggest the existence of a relationship between fibronectin binding and the pathogenic potential of GAS.
Natanson
S
S
Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel.
Sela
S
S
Moses
A E
AE
Musser
J M
JM
Caparon
M G
MG
Hanski
E
E
D018829:Adhesins, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D001483:Base Sequence; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D005353:Fibronectins / Q000378:metabolism*; D005798:Genes, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D013297:Streptococcus pyogenes / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D014774:Virulence
D018829:Adhesins, Bacterial; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D005353:Fibronectins; C078635:fibronectin-binding proteins, bacterial