From nose to lung: the regulation behind Streptococcus pneumoniae virulence factors.
Streptococcus pneumoniae probably possesses a redundant set of factors required for colonization of the nasopharynx and invasive disease, because of its strict relationship with its human host and relatively small genome size (approximately 2.1 Mb). Nevertheless, transcriptional regulation of genes encoding factors required for in vivo growth is predicted to be important on two fronts: in the transition from carriage to invasive disease and within different microniches of the nasopharynx. The importance of both serotype-specific and host tissue-specific virulence factors during infection and disease has been highlighted by the recent identification of novel virulence factors in this organism coupled with the release of complete genome sequences from two strains. These studies add to the foundation of knowledge of classical S. pneumoniae virulence factors such as polysaccharide capsule and pneumolysin, which have well-documented roles in pathogenesis.
Hava
David L
DL
Tufts University School of Medicine, Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, 136 Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA 02111, USA.
LeMieux
Julianna
J
Camilli
Andrew
A
D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D016680:Genome, Bacterial; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000382:microbiology; D009666:Nose / Q000382:microbiology; D011008:Pneumococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D037521:Virulence Factors