Molecular analysis of an enigmatic Streptococcus pneumoniae virulence factor: The raffinose-family oligosaccharide utilization system.

ABSTRACT: Streptococcus pneumoniae is an opportunistic respiratory pathogen that can spread to other body sites, including the ears, brain, and blood. The ability of this bacterium to break down, import, and metabolize a wide range of glycans is key to its virulence. Intriguingly, S. pneumoniae can utilize several plant oligosaccharides for growth in vitro, including raffinose-family oligosaccharides (RFOs, which are α-(1→6)-galactosyl extensions of sucrose). An RFO utilization locus has been identified in the pneumococcal genome; however, none of the proteins encoded by this locus have been biochemically characterized. The enigmatic ability of S. pneumoniae to utilize RFOs has recently received attention because mutations in two of the RFO locus genes have been linked to

SUBMITTER: Hobbs JK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6873169 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature