A Critical Role of Zinc Importer AdcABC in Group A Streptococcus-Host Interactions During Infection and Its Implications for Vaccine Development.

ABSTRACT: Bacterial pathogens must overcome host immune mechanisms to acquire micronutrients for successful replication and infection. Streptococcus pyogenes, also known as group A streptococcus (GAS), is a human pathogen that causes a variety of clinical manifestations, and disease prevention is hampered by lack of a human GAS vaccine. Herein, we report that the mammalian host recruits calprotectin (CP) to GAS infection sites and retards bacterial growth by zinc limitation. However, a GAS-encoded zinc importer and a nuanced zinc sensor aid bacterial defense against CP-mediated growth inhibition and contribute to GAS virulence. Immunization of mice with the extracellular component of the zinc importer confers protection against systemic GAS challenge. Together, we identified a key early stage host-G

SUBMITTER: Makthal N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5514391 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature