A variable region within the genome of Streptococcus pneumoniae contributes to strain-strain variation in virulence.

ABSTRACT: The bacterial factors responsible for the variation in invasive potential between different clones and serotypes of Streptococcus pneumoniae are largely unknown. Therefore, the isolation of rare serotype 1 carriage strains in Indigenous Australian communities provided a unique opportunity to compare the genomes of non-invasive and invasive isolates of the same serotype in order to identify such factors. The human virulence status of non-invasive, intermediately virulent and highly virulent serotype 1 isolates was reflected in mice and showed that whilst both human non-invasive and highly virulent isolates were able to colonize the murine nasopharynx equally, only the human highly virulent isolates were able to invade and survive in the murine lungs and blood. Genomic sequencing comparisons

SUBMITTER: Harvey RM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3088708 | biostudies-literature | 2011 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature