Superantigens SPEA and SMEZ do not affect secretome expression in Streptococcus pyogenes

Microb Pathog. 2008 Jun;44(6):537-43. doi: 10.1016/j.micpath.2007.06.010. Epub 2008 Feb 6.

Abstract

The superantigens, toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1) and staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB), were recently reported to repress global exoprotein synthesis in Staphylococcus aureus. To investigate if this phenomenon could be observed in a different Gram-positive pathogen, the effects of two major Streptococcus pyogenes superantigens on streptococcal secretome expression were examined. Using mutagenesis and genetic complementation, we demonstrated that neither streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin A (SPEA) nor streptococcal mitogenic exotoxin Z (SMEZ) had any consistent effect on global protein expression or on transcription of genes encoding the secreted exoproteins, DNase B, SPEB and SPEG. In S. pyogenes, superantigen production does not appear to have a major regulatory role.

MeSH terms

  • Antigens, Bacterial / genetics
  • Antigens, Bacterial / metabolism*
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics*
  • Bacterial Proteins / metabolism*
  • Bacterial Toxins / genetics
  • Bacterial Toxins / metabolism*
  • Exotoxins / genetics*
  • Exotoxins / metabolism*
  • Gene Expression*
  • Genetic Complementation Test
  • Humans
  • Membrane Proteins / genetics*
  • Membrane Proteins / metabolism*
  • Protein Transport
  • Streptococcus pyogenes / genetics
  • Streptococcus pyogenes / metabolism*
  • Transcription, Genetic

Substances

  • Antigens, Bacterial
  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Bacterial Toxins
  • Exotoxins
  • Membrane Proteins
  • SpeA protein, Streptococcus pyogenes
  • erythrogenic toxin
  • mitogenic exotoxin Z protein, Streptococcus