Commensal to pathogen switch in Streptococcus pneumoniae is influenced by a thermosensing master regulator.

ABSTRACT: Opportunistic pathogens switch from a commensal to pathogenic state by sensing and responding to a variety of environmental cues, including temperature fluctuations. Minor temperature oscillations can alert the pathogen to a changing niche ecosystem, necessitating efficient sensing and rapid integration to trigger behavioral change. This is typically achieved through master regulators, dictating pleiotropic phenotypes. Here, we uncover a pivotal role of minor temperature shifts in transition of Streptococcus pneumoniae (SPN) from commensal to virulent lifestyles, mediated via an RNA thermosensing (RNAT) element within the untranslated region of the global regulator CiaR. By positively regulating the expression of the surface adhesin, Phosphorylcholine (PCho), in response to elevated temper

SUBMITTER: Apte S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12507249 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature