title: Synthesis of group A streptococcal virulence factors is controlled by a regulatory RNA molecule.
abstract: The capacity of pathogens to cause disease depends strictly on the regulated expression of their virulence factors. In this study, we demonstrate that the untranslated mRNA of the recently described streptococcal pleiotropic effect locus (pel), which incidentally contains sagA, the structural gene for streptolysin S, is an effector of virulence factor expression in group A beta-haemolytic streptococci (GAS). Our data suggest that the regulation by pel RNA occurs at both transcriptional (e.g. emm, sic, nga) and post-transcriptional (e.g. SpeB) levels. We could exclude the possibility that the pel phenotype was linked to a polar effect on downstream genes (sagB-I). Remarkably, the RNA effector is regulated in a growth phase-dependent fashion and we provide evidence that pel RNA expression is induced by conditioned media.
authors.affiliation: Max F. Perutz Laboratories, University Departments at the Vienna Biocenter, Department of Microbiology and Genetics, University of Vienna, Dr Bohrgasse 9/4, Vienna A-1030, Austria.
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mangold
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Siller
authors.forename: Bernhard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Roppenser
authors.forename: Bart J M
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Vlaminckx
authors.forename: Tom A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Penfound
authors.forename: Reinhard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.forename: Rodger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Novak
authors.forename: Richard P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Novick
authors.forename: Emmanuelle
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Charpentier
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D010641:Phenotype; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000378:metabolism*; D013297:Streptococcus pyogenes / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D020506:Untranslated Regions / Q000378:metabolism*; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned; D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D020506:Untranslated Regions; D037521:Virulence Factors