RocA Has Serotype-Specific Gene Regulatory and Pathogenesis Activities in Serotype M28 Group A Streptococcus.

ABSTRACT: Serotype M28 group A streptococcus (GAS) is a common cause of infections such as pharyngitis ("strep throat") and necrotizing fasciitis ("flesh-eating" disease). Relatively little is known about the molecular mechanisms underpinning M28 GAS pathogenesis. Whole-genome sequencing studies of M28 GAS strains recovered from patients with invasive infections found an unexpectedly high number of missense (amino acid-changing) and nonsense (protein-truncating) polymorphisms in rocA (regulator of Cov), leading us to hypothesize that altered RocA activity contributes to M28 GAS molecular pathogenesis. To test this hypothesis, an isogenic rocA deletion mutant strain was created. Transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis revealed that RocA inactivation significantl

SUBMITTER: Bernard PE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6204712 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature