1. DNase Sda1 provides selection pressure for a switch to invasive group A streptococcal infection
- Author
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Walker, Mark J, Hollands, Andrew, Sanderson-Smith, Martina L, Cole, Jason N, Kirk, Joshua K, Henningham, Anna, McArthur, Jason D, Dinkla, Katrin, Aziz, Ramy K, Kansal, Rita G, Simpson, Amelia J, Buchanan, John T, Chhatwal, Gursharan S, Kotb, Malak, and Nizet, Victor
- Abstract
Most invasive bacterial infections are caused by species that more commonly colonize the human host with minimal symptoms. Although phenotypic or genetic correlates underlying a bacterium's shift to enhanced virulence have been studied, the in vivo selection pressures governing such shifts are poorly understood. The globally disseminated M1T1 clone of group A Streptococcus (GAS) is linked with the rare but life-threatening syndromes of necrotizing fasciitis and toxic shock syndrome. Mutations in the GAS control of virulence regulatory sensor kinase (covRS) operon are associated with severe invasive disease, abolishing expression of a broad-spectrum cysteine protease (SpeB) and allowing the recruitment and activation of host plasminogen on the bacterial surface. Here we describe how bacteriophage-encoded GAS DNase (Sda1), which facilitates the pathogen's escape from neutrophil extracellular traps, serves as a selective force for covRS mutation. The results provide a paradigm whereby natural selection exerted by the innate immune system generates hypervirulent bacterial variants with increased risk of systemic dissemination., Author(s): Mark J Walker (corresponding author) [1]; Andrew Hollands [1]; Martina L Sanderson-Smith [1]; Jason N Cole [1]; Joshua K Kirk [1]; Anna Henningham [1]; Jason D McArthur [1]; Katrin [...]
- Published
- 2007
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