Comprehensive evaluation of Streptococcus sanguinis cell wall-anchored proteins in early infective endocarditis.

ABSTRACT: Streptococcus sanguinis is a member of the viridans group of streptococci and a leading cause of the life-threatening endovascular disease infective endocarditis. Initial contact with the cardiac infection site is likely mediated by S. sanguinis surface proteins. In an attempt to identify the proteins required for this crucial step in pathogenesis, we searched for surface-exposed, cell wall-anchored proteins encoded by S. sanguinis and then used a targeted signature-tagged mutagenesis (STM) approach to evaluate their contributions to virulence. Thirty-three predicted cell wall-anchored proteins were identified-a number much larger than those found in related species. The requirement of each cell wall-anchored protein for infective endocarditis was assessed in the rabbit model. It was found

SUBMITTER: Turner LS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2772543 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature