title: Pneumococcal surface protein C contributes to sepsis caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae in mice.
abstract: The role of pneumococcal surface protein C (PspC; also called SpsA, CbpA, and Hic) in sepsis by Streptococcus pneumoniae was investigated in a murine infection model. The pspC gene was deleted in strains D39 (type 2) and A66 (type 3), and the mutants were tested by being injected intravenously into mice. The animals infected with the mutant strains showed a significant increase in survival, with the 50% lethal dose up to 250-fold higher than that for the wild type. Our findings indicate that PspC affords a decisive contribution to sepsis development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy. iannelli@unisi.it
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Iannelli
authors.forename: Damiana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chiavolini
authors.forename: Susanna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ricci
authors.forename: Marco Rinaldo
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Oggioni
authors.forename: Gianni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pozzi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D017353:Gene Deletion; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D051379:Mice; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D009154:Mutation; D011008:Pneumococcal Infections / Q000209:etiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D018805:Sepsis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity* / Q000502:physiology; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; C110344:SpsA protein, Streptococcus pneumoniae