This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Podbielski, A. Articles by Weber-Heynemann, J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Podbielski, A. Articles by Weber-Heynemann, J.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Infect. Immun., 01 1995, 9-20, Vol 63, No. 1
Copyright © 1995, American Society for Microbiology

The group A streptococcal virR49 gene controls expression of four structural vir regulon genes

A Podbielski, A Flosdorff and J Weber-Heynemann
Institute of Medical Microbiology, Technical University (RWTH), Aachen, Germany.

Within a genomic locus termed the vir regulon, virR genes of opacity factor-nonproducing (OF-) group A streptococci (GAS) are known to control the expression of the genes encoding M protein (emm) and C5a peptidase (scpA) and of virR itself. Within the corresponding genomic locus, opacity factor-producing (OF+) GAS harbor additional emm-related genes encoding immunoglobulin G- and immunoglobulin A-binding proteins (fcrA and enn, respectively). The virR gene region of the OF+ GAS M- type 49 strain CS101 was amplified by PCR, and 2,650 bp were directly sequenced. An open reading frame of 1,599 bp exhibited 76% overall homology to published virR sequences. By utilizing mRNA analysis, the 5' ends of two specific transcripts were mapped 370 and 174 bp upstream of the start codon of this open reading frame. The deduced sequences of the corresponding promoters and their locations differed from those of previously reported virR promoters. Transcripts from wild-type fcrA49, emm49, enn49, and scpA49 genes located downstream of virR49 were characterized as being monocistronic. The transcripts were quantified and mapped for their 5' ends. Subsequently, the virR49 gene was inactivated by specific insertion of a nonreplicative pSF152 vector containing recombinant virR49 sequences. The RNA from the resulting vir- mut strain did not contain transcripts of virR49, fcrA49, emm49, or enn49 and contained reduced amounts of the scpA49 transcript when compared with wild-type RNA. The mRNA control from the streptokinase gene was demonstrated not to be affected. When strain vir-mut was rotated in human blood, it was found to be fully sensitive to phagocytosis by human leukocytes. Thus, the present study provides evidence that virR genes in OF+ GAS could be involved in the control of up to five vir regulon genes, and their unaffected regulatory activity is associated with features postulated as crucial for GAS virulence.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Klitgaard, J. K., Skov, M. N., Kallipolitis, B. H., Kolmos, H. J. (2008). Reversal of methicillin resistance in Staphylococcus aureus by thioridazine. J Antimicrob Chemother 0: dkn417v1-7 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Kreikemeyer, B., Nakata, M., Koller, T., Hildisch, H., Kourakos, V., Standar, K., Kawabata, S., Glocker, M. O., Podbielski, A. (2007). The Streptococcus pyogenes Serotype M49 Nra-Ralp3 Transcriptional Regulatory Network and Its Control of Virulence Factor Expression from the Novel eno ralp3 epf sagA Pathogenicity Region. Infect. Immun. 75: 5698-5710 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Fischer, R.-J., Oehmcke, S., Meyer, U., Mix, M., Schwarz, K., Fiedler, T., Bahl, H. (2006). Transcription of the pst Operon of Clostridium acetobutylicum Is Dependent on Phosphate Concentration and pH.. J. Bacteriol. 188: 5469-5478 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Christiansen, J. K., Nielsen, J. S., Ebersbach, T., Valentin-Hansen, P., Sogaard-Andersen, L., Kallipolitis, B. H. (2006). Identification of small Hfq-binding RNAs in Listeria monocytogenes. RNA 12: 1383-1396 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Terao, Y., Yamaguchi, M., Hamada, S., Kawabata, S. (2006). Multifunctional Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate Dehydrogenase of Streptococcus pyogenes Is Essential for Evasion from Neutrophils. J. Biol. Chem. 281: 14215-14223 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Vahling, C. M., McIver, K. S. (2006). Domains Required for Transcriptional Activation Show Conservation in the Mga Family of Virulence Gene Regulators. J. Bacteriol. 188: 863-873 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Wood, D. N., Chaussee, M. A., Chaussee, M. S., Buttaro, B. A. (2005). Persistence of Streptococcus pyogenes in Stationary-Phase Cultures. J. Bacteriol. 187: 3319-3328 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Lindahl, G., Stalhammar-Carlemalm, M., Areschoug, T. (2005). Surface Proteins of Streptococcus agalactiae and Related Proteins in Other Bacterial Pathogens. Clin. Microbiol. Rev. 18: 102-127 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Lafontaine, E. R., Wall, D., Vanlerberg, S. L., Donabedian, H., Sledjeski, D. D. (2004). Moraxella catarrhalis Coaggregates with Streptococcus pyogenes and Modulates Interactions of S. pyogenes with Human Epithelial Cells. Infect. Immun. 72: 6689-6693 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Christiansen, J. K., Larsen, M. H., Ingmer, H., Sogaard-Andersen, L., Kallipolitis, B. H. (2004). The RNA-Binding Protein Hfq of Listeria monocytogenes: Role in Stress Tolerance and Virulence. J. Bacteriol. 186: 3355-3362 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Kallipolitis, B. H., Ingmer, H., Gahan, C. G., Hill, C., Sogaard-Andersen, L. (2003). CesRK, a Two-Component Signal Transduction System in Listeria monocytogenes, Responds to the Presence of Cell Wall-Acting Antibiotics and Affects {beta}-Lactam Resistance. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 47: 3421-3429 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Opdyke, J. A., Scott, J. R., Moran, C. P. Jr. (2003). Expression of the Secondary Sigma Factor {sigma}X in Streptococcus pyogenes Is Restricted at Two Levels. J. Bacteriol. 185: 4291-4297 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Svensson, M. D., Sjobring, U., Luo, F., Bessen, D. E. (2002). Roles of the plasminogen activator streptokinase and the plasminogen-associated M protein in an experimental model for streptococcal impetigo. Microbiology 148: 3933-3945 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Kreikemeyer, B., Beckert, S., Braun-Kiewnick, A., Podbielski, A. (2002). Group A streptococcal RofA-type global regulators exhibit a strain-specific genomic presence and regulation pattern. Microbiology 148: 1501-1511 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Chaussee, M. S., Sylva, G. L., Sturdevant, D. E., Smoot, L. M., Graham, M. R., Watson, R. O., Musser, J. M. (2002). Rgg Influences the Expression of Multiple Regulatory Loci To Coregulate Virulence Factor Expression in Streptococcus pyogenes. Infect. Immun. 70: 762-770 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Biswas, I., Germon, P., McDade, K., Scott, J. R. (2001). Generation and Surface Localization of Intact M Protein in Streptococcus pyogenes Are Dependent on sagA. Infect. Immun. 69: 7029-7038 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Poyart, C., Lamy, M. C., Boumaila, C., Fiedler, F., Trieu-Cuot, P. (2001). Regulation of D-Alanyl-Lipoteichoic Acid Biosynthesis in Streptococcus agalactiae Involves a Novel Two-Component Regulatory System. J. Bacteriol. 183: 6324-6334 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Kazmi, S. U., Kansal, R., Aziz, R. K., Hooshdaran, M., Norrby-Teglund, A., Low, D. E., Halim, A.-B., Kotb, M. (2001). Reciprocal, Temporal Expression of SpeA and SpeB by Invasive M1T1 Group A Streptococcal Isolates In Vivo. Infect. Immun. 69: 4988-4995 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Lukomski, S., Nakashima, K., Abdi, I., Cipriano, V. J., Shelvin, B. J., Graviss, E. A., Musser, J. M. (2001). Identification and Characterization of a Second Extracellular Collagen-Like Protein Made by Group A Streptococcus: Control of Production at the Level of Translation. Infect. Immun. 69: 1729-1738 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Limbago, B., McIver, K. S., Penumalli, V., Weinrick, B., Scott, J. R. (2001). Restoration of Mga Function to a Streptococcus pyogenes Strain (M Type 50) That Is Virulent in Mice. Infect. Immun. 69: 1215-1220 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Beckert, S., Kreikemeyer, B., Podbielski, A. (2001). Group A Streptococcal rofA Gene Is Involved in the Control of Several Virulence Genes and Eukaryotic Cell Attachment and Internalization. Infect. Immun. 69: 534-537 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Lukomski, S., Nakashima, K., Abdi, I., Cipriano, V. J., Ireland, R. M., Reid, S. D., Adams, G. G., Musser, J. M. (2000). Identification and Characterization of the scl Gene Encoding a Group A Streptococcus Extracellular Protein Virulence Factor with Similarity to Human Collagen. Infect. Immun. 68: 6542-6553 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Rasmussen, M., Eden, A., Bjorck, L. (2000). SclA, a Novel Collagen-Like Surface Protein of Streptococcus pyogenes. Infect. Immun. 68: 6370-6377 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Cunningham, M. W. (2000). Pathogenesis of Group A Streptococcal Infections. Clin. Microbiol. Rev. 13: 470-511 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Darmstadt, G. L., Mentele, L., Podbielski, A., Rubens, C. E. (2000). Role of Group A Streptococcal Virulence Factors in Adherence to Keratinocytes. Infect. Immun. 68: 1215-1221 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Vasi, J., Frykberg, L., Carlsson, L. E., Lindberg, M., Guss, B. (2000). M-Like Proteins of Streptococcus dysgalactiae. Infect. Immun. 68: 294-302 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Hytönen, J., Haataja, S., Isomäki, P., Finne, J. (2000). Identification of a novel glycoprotein-binding activity in Streptococcus pyogenes regulated by the mga gene. Microbiology 146: 31-39 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Yung, D.-L., McIver, K. S., Scott, J. R., Hollingshead, S. K. (1999). Attenuated Expression of the mga Virulence Regulon in an M Serotype 50 Mouse-Virulent Group A Streptococcal Strain. Infect. Immun. 67: 6691-6694 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Unnikrishnan, M., Cohen, J., Sriskandan, S. (1999). Growth-Phase-Dependent Expression of Virulence Factors in an M1T1 Clinical Isolate of Streptococcus pyogenes. Infect. Immun. 67: 5495-5499 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Li, Z., Sledjeski, D. D., Kreikemeyer, B., Podbielski, A., Boyle, M. D. P. (1999). Identification of pel, a Streptococcus pyogenes Locus That Affects both Surface and Secreted Proteins. J. Bacteriol. 181: 6019-6027 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• McIver, K. S., Thurman, A. S., Scott, J. R. (1999). Regulation of mga Transcription in the Group A Streptococcus: Specific Binding of Mga within Its Own Promoter and Evidence for a Negative Regulator. J. Bacteriol. 181: 5373-5383 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Federle, M. J., McIver, K. S., Scott, J. R. (1999). A Response Regulator That Represses Transcription of Several Virulence Operons in the Group A Streptococcus. J. Bacteriol. 181: 3649-3657 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Spellerberg, B., Pohl, B., Haase, G., Martin, S., Weber-Heynemann, J., Lütticken, R. (1999). Identification of Genetic Determinants for the Hemolytic Activity of Streptococcus agalactiae by ISS1 Transposition. J. Bacteriol. 181: 3212-3219 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Kihlberg, B.-M., Collin, M., Olsen, A., Bjorck, L. (1999). Protein H, an Antiphagocytic Surface Protein in Streptococcus pyogenes. Infect. Immun. 67: 1708-1714 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Chaussee, M. S., Ajdic, D., Ferretti, J. J. (1999). The rgg Gene of Streptococcus pyogenes NZ131 Positively Influences Extracellular SPE B Production. Infect. Immun. 67: 1715-1722 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Navarre, W. W., Schneewind, O. (1999). Surface Proteins of Gram-Positive Bacteria and Mechanisms of Their Targeting to the Cell Wall Envelope. Microbiol. Mol. Biol. Rev. 63: 174-229 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Bernish, B., van de Rijn, I. (1999). Characterization of a Two-component System in Streptococcus pyogenes Which Is Involved in Regulation of Hyaluronic Acid Production. J. Biol. Chem. 274: 4786-4793 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Spellerberg, B., Rozdzinski, E., Martin, S., Weber-Heynemann, J., Schnitzler, N., Lutticken, R., Podbielski, A. (1999). Lmb, a Protein with Similarities to the LraI Adhesin Family, Mediates Attachment of Streptococcus agalactiae to Human Laminin. Infect. Immun. 67: 871-878 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Leonard, B. A. B., Woischnik, M., Podbielski, A. (1998). Production of Stabilized Virulence Factor-Negative Variants by Group A Streptococci during Stationary Phase. Infect. Immun. 66: 3841-3847 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Thern, A., Wastfelt, M., Lindahl, G. (1998). Expression of Two Different Antiphagocytic M Proteins by Streptococcus pyogenes of the OF+ Lineage. J. Immunol. 160: 860-869 [Abstract] [Full Text]