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 Shelburne, S. A.
Right arrow Articles by Musser, J. M.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Shelburne, S. A., III
Right arrow Articles by Musser, J. M.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Infection and Immunity, August 2006, p. 4605-4614, Vol. 74, No. 8
0019-9567/06/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/IAI.00477-06
Copyright © 2006, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Maltodextrin Utilization Plays a Key Role in the Ability of Group A Streptococcus To Colonize the Oropharynx

Samuel A. Shelburne III,1 Paul Sumby,2 Izabela Sitkiewicz,2 Nnaja Okorafor,1 Chanel Granville,2 Payal Patel,2 Jovanka Voyich,3 Richard Hull,4 Frank R. DeLeo,3 and James M. Musser2*

Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030,1 Center for Molecular and Translational Human Infectious Diseases Research, The Methodist Hospital Research Institute, Houston, Texas 77030,2 Laboratory of Human Bacterial Pathogenesis, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana 59840,3 Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 770304

Received 23 March 2006/ Returned for modification 1 May 2006/ Accepted 19 May 2006

Analysis of multiple group A Streptococcus (GAS) genomes shows that genes encoding proteins involved in carbohydrate utilization comprise some 15% of the core GAS genome. Yet there is a limited understanding of how carbohydrate utilization contributes to GAS pathogenesis. Previous genome-wide GAS studies led us to a focused investigation of MalE, a putative maltodextrin-binding protein. Analysis of 28 strains of 22 distinct M protein serotypes showed that MalE is highly conserved among diverse GAS strains. malE transcript levels were significantly increased during growth in human saliva compared to growth in a chemically defined glucose-containing medium or a nutrient-rich medium. MalE was accessible to antibody binding, indicating that it is expressed on the GAS cell surface. Moreover, growth in human saliva appeared to increase MalE surface expression compared to growth in a nutrient-rich medium. Analysis of a {Delta}malE isogenic mutant strain revealed decreased growth in human saliva compared to wild-type GAS. Radiolabeled carbohydrate binding assays showed that MalE was required for the binding of maltose but not glucose. The {Delta}malE isogenic mutant strain colonized a lower percentage of GAS-challenged mice compared to wild-type and genetically complemented strains. Furthermore, decreased numbers of CFU were recovered from mice infected with the {Delta}malE strain compared to those infected with wild-type GAS. These data demonstrate that maltodextrin acquisition is likely to be a key factor in the ability of GAS to successfully infect the oropharynx. Further investigation into carbohydrate transport and metabolism pathways may yield novel insights into GAS pathogenesis.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Center for Molecular and Translational Human Infectious Diseases Research, The Methodist Hospital Research Institute, Houston, TX 77025. Phone: (713) 441-5890. Fax: (713) 790-6460. E-mail: jmmusser{at}tmh.tmc.edu.

Editor: D. L. Burns

Infection and Immunity, August 2006, p. 4605-4614, Vol. 74, No. 8
0019-9567/06/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/IAI.00477-06
Copyright © 2006, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Sumby, P., Zhang, S., Whitney, A. R., Falugi, F., Grandi, G., Graviss, E. A., DeLeo, F. R., Musser, J. M. (2008). A Chemokine-Degrading Extracellular Protease Made by Group A Streptococcus Alters Pathogenesis by Enhancing Evasion of the Innate Immune Response. Infect. Immun. 76: 978-985 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Shelburne, S. A. III, Keith, D., Horstmann, N., Sumby, P., Davenport, M. T., Graviss, E. A., Brennan, R. G., Musser, J. M. (2008). A direct link between carbohydrate utilization and virulence in the major human pathogen group A Streptococcus. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 105: 1698-1703 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Webb, A. J., Homer, K. A., Hosie, A. H. F. (2008). Two Closely Related ABC Transporters in Streptococcus mutans Are Involved in Disaccharide and/or Oligosaccharide Uptake. J. Bacteriol. 190: 168-178 [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]  
  • Shelburne, S. A. III, Okorafor, N., Sitkiewicz, I., Sumby, P., Keith, D., Patel, P., Austin, C., Graviss, E. A., Musser, J. M. (2007). Regulation of Polysaccharide Utilization Contributes to the Persistence of Group A Streptococcus in the Oropharynx. Infect. Immun. 75: 2981-2990 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Webb, A. J., Homer, K. A., Hosie, A. H. F. (2007). A Phosphoenolpyruvate-Dependent Phosphotransferase System Is the Principal Maltose Transporter in Streptococcus mutans. J. Bacteriol. 189: 3322-3327 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Shelburne, S. A. III, Fang, H., Okorafor, N., Sumby, P., Sitkiewicz, I., Keith, D., Patel, P., Austin, C., Graviss, E. A., Musser, J. M., Chow, D.-C. (2007). MalE of Group A Streptococcus Participates in the Rapid Transport of Maltotriose and Longer Maltodextrins. J. Bacteriol. 189: 2610-2617 [Abstract] [Full Text]  


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