Lysogenic transfer of group A Streptococcus superantigen gene among Streptococci.
A group A Streptococcus (GAS) isolate, serotype M12, recovered from a patient with streptococcal toxic shock syndrome was analyzed for superantigen-carrying prophages, revealing phi149, which encodes superantigen SSA. Sequence analysis of the att-L proximal region of phi149 showed that the phage had a mosaic nature. Remarkably, we successfully obtained lysogenic conversion of GAS clinical isolates of various M serotypes (M1, M3, M5, M12, M19, M28, and M94), as well as of group C Streptococcus equisimilis (GCSE) clinical isolates, via transfer of a recombinant phage phi149::Km(r). Phage phi149::Km(r) from selected lysogenized GAS and GCSE strains could be transferred back to M12 GAS strains. Our data indicate that horizontal transfer of lysogenic phages among GAS can occur across the M-type barrier; these data also provide further support for the hypothesis that toxigenic conversion can occur via lysogeny between species. Streptococci might employ this mechanism specifically to allow more efficient adaptation to changing host challenges, potentially leading to fitter and more virulent clones.
Vojtek
Ivo
I
1Max F. Perutz Laboratories, University of Vienna, Department of Microbiology and Immunobiology, Vienna, Austria.
Pirzada
Zaid A
ZA
Henriques-Normark
Birgitta
B
Mastny
Markus
M
Janapatla
Rajendra P
RP
Charpentier
Emmanuelle
E
D000483:Alleles; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D022761:Gene Transfer, Horizontal; D006801:Humans; D008242:Lysogeny; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D017108:Streptococcus Phages / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D013297:Streptococcus pyogenes / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C117321:streptococcal superantigen SSA