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

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Infection and Immunity, March 2003, p. 1361-1369, Vol. 71, No. 3
0019-9567/03/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/IAI.71.3.1361-1369.2003
Copyright © 2003, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Two Novel Superantigens Found in Both Group A and Group C Streptococcus

Thomas Proft, Phillip D. Webb, Vanessa Handley, and John D. Fraser*

Department of Molecular Medicine and Pathology, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand

Received 16 July 2002/ Returned for modification 16 October 2002/ Accepted 21 November 2002

Two novel streptococcal superantigen genes (speLSe and speMSe) were identified from the Streptococcus equi genome database at the Sanger Center. Genotyping of 8 S. equi isolates and 40 Streptococcus pyogenes isolates resulted in the detection of the orthologous genes speL and speM in a restricted number of S. pyogenes isolates (15 and 5%, respectively). Surprisingly, the novel superantigen genes could not be found in any of the analyzed S. equi isolates. The results suggest that both genes are located on a mobile element that enables gene transfer between individual isolates and between streptococci from different Lancefield groups. S. equi pyrogenic exotoxin L (SPE-LSe)/streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin L (SPE-L) and SPE-MSe/SPE-M are most closely related to SMEZ, SPE-C, SPE-G, and SPE-J, but build a separate branch within this group. Recombinant SPE-L (rSPE-L) and rSPE-M were highly mitogenic for human peripheral blood lymphocytes, with half-maximum responses at 1 and 10 pg/ml, respectively. The results from competitive binding experiments suggest that both proteins bind major histocompatibility complex class II at the ß-chain, but not at the {alpha}-chain. The most common targets for both toxins were human Vß1.1 expressing T cells. Seroconversion against SPE-L and SPE-M was observed in healthy blood donors, suggesting that the toxins are expressed in vivo. Interestingly, the speL gene is highly associated with S. pyogenes M89, a serotype that is linked to acute rheumatic fever in New Zealand.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Molecular Medicine and Pathology, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand. Phone: 64-9-373-7599, ext. 6036. Fax: 64-9-373-7492. E-mail: jd.fraser{at}auckland.ac.nz.

Editor: V. J. DiRita

Infection and Immunity, March 2003, p. 1361-1369, Vol. 71, No. 3
0019-9567/03/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/IAI.71.3.1361-1369.2003
Copyright © 2003, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Ahmad, Y., Gertz, R. E. Jr., Li, Z., Sakota, V., Broyles, L. N., Van Beneden, C., Facklam, R., Shewmaker, P. L., Reingold, A., Farley, M. M., Beall, B. W. (2009). Genetic Relationships Deduced from emm and Multilocus Sequence Typing of Invasive Streptococcus dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis and S. canis Recovered from Isolates Collected in the United States. J. Clin. Microbiol. 47: 2046-2054 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Lindsay, A.-M., Zhang, M., Mitchell, Z., Holden, M. T. G., Waller, A. S., Sutcliffe, I. C., Black, G. W. (2009). The Streptococcus equi prophage-encoded protein SEQ2045 is a hyaluronan-specific hyaluronate lyase that is produced during equine infection. Microbiology 155: 443-449 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Commons, R., Rogers, S., Gooding, T., Danchin, M., Carapetis, J., Robins-Browne, R., Curtis, N. (2008). Superantigen genes in group A streptococcal isolates and their relationship with emm types. J Med Microbiol 57: 1238-1246 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Zhao, J., Hayashi, T., Saarinen, S., Papageorgiou, A. C., Kato, H., Imanishi, K., Kirikae, T., Abe, R., Uchiyama, T., Miyoshi-Akiyama, T. (2007). Cloning, Expression, and Characterization of the Superantigen Streptococcal Pyrogenic Exotoxin G from Streptococcus dysgalactiae. Infect. Immun. 75: 1721-1729 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Hamilton, A., Robinson, C., Sutcliffe, I. C., Slater, J., Maskell, D. J., Davis-Poynter, N., Smith, K., Waller, A., Harrington, D. J. (2006). Mutation of the Maturase Lipoprotein Attenuates the Virulence of Streptococcus equi to a Greater Extent than Does Loss of General Lipoprotein Lipidation. Infect. Immun. 74: 6907-6919 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Rivera, A., Rebollo, M., Miro, E., Mateo, M., Navarro, F., Gurgui, M., Mirelis, B., Coll, P. (2006). Superantigen gene profile, emm type and antibiotic resistance genes among group A streptococcal isolates from Barcelona, Spain.. J Med Microbiol 55: 1115-1123 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Ladlow, J., Scase, T., Waller, A. (2006). Canine Strangles Case Reveals a New Host Susceptible to Infection with Streptococcus equi.. J. Clin. Microbiol. 44: 2664-2665 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Lannergard, J., Flock, M., Johansson, S., Flock, J.-I., Guss, B. (2005). Studies of Fibronectin-Binding Proteins of Streptococcus equi. Infect. Immun. 73: 7243-7251 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Goldmann, O., Lengeling, A., Bose, J., Bloecker, H., Geffers, R., Chhatwal, G. S., Medina, E. (2005). The Role of the MHC on Resistance to Group A Streptococci in Mice. J. Immunol. 175: 3862-3872 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Wang, C.-H., Lin, C.-Y., Luo, Y.-H., Tsai, P.-J., Lin, Y.-S., Lin, M. T., Chuang, W.-J., Liu, C.-C., Wu, J.-J. (2005). Effects of Oligopeptide Permease in Group A Streptococcal Infection. Infect. Immun. 73: 2881-2890 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Korman, T. M., Boers, A., Gooding, T. M., Curtis, N., Visvanathan, K. (2004). Fatal Case of Toxic Shock-Like Syndrome Due to Group C Streptococcus Associated with Superantigen Exotoxin. J. Clin. Microbiol. 42: 2866-2869 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Takagishi, J., Sinnott, J. (2004). Commentary. CLIN PEDIATR 43: 116-117  


Copyright © 2009 by the American Society for Microbiology.   For an alternate route to Journals.ASM.org, visit: http://intl-journals.asm.org | More Info»