title: Virulence factors of the group A streptococci and genes that regulate their expression.
abstract: Group A streptococci produce a wide variety of extracellular (cell-associated and released) virulence factors. The function of these factors varies and includes roles in adhesion, spreading, tissue destruction, immune system evasion, and cell toxicity. How these factors are regulated with regard to one another is important for this organism s ability to bring about the variety of diseases this microbe is capable of causing. Therefore, along with the multitude of virulence factors, there are a number of regulatory systems that regulate, either directly or indirectly, the production of these factors and therefore influence the pathogenesis of group A streptococcal infections.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 23529-0266, USA. whynes@odu.edu
authors.forename: Wayne
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hynes
mesh_terms: D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D016680:Genome, Bacterial; D006801:Humans; D005810:Multigene Family; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D013297:Streptococcus pyogenes / Q000235:genetics* / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D014774:Virulence; D037521:Virulence Factors
chemical_list: D037521:Virulence Factors