The serine protease HtrA plays a key role in heat-induced dispersal of pneumococcal biofilms.

ABSTRACT: Streptococcus pneumoniae (the pneumococcus) colonizes the human nasopharynx by forming multicellular biofilms. Due to the high level of asymptomatic carriage, transition to infections, such as otitis media, pneumonia, sepsis, and meningitis, occurs often enough that the pneumococcus remains a major cause of disease and death globally. Virus infection and virus-induced responses, such as increased temperature (fever), trigger release of virulent bacteria from colonizing biofilms. The exact mechanisms involved in pneumococcal egress during biofilm dispersal remain unknown, although we hypothesize that disruption of the biofilm matrix encasing the bacteria is necessary. Here, we utilized established in vitro biofilm dispersal models to investigate the involvement of proteases in bacterial egr

SUBMITTER: Chao Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7775458 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature