General information:
A heterogeneous group of low-percentage G+C gram-positive aerobic bacteria which appear as chains under microscopic observation
Divided into three groups by the type of hemolysis on blood agar: β-hemolytic (clear, complete lysis of red cells), α hemolytic (incomplete, green hemolysis), and γ hemolytic (no hemolysis). Lancefield classification is based on antigenic differences in cell wall carbohydrates (groups A to V)
More recently, Kawamura et al. divided the genus Streptococcus into six major groups based on their 16S rRNA sequences: i.e., the pyogenic, mitis, bovis, salivarius, anginosus, and mutants groups,
Surface carbohydrate antigens of S. pneumonia do not correspond to a specific Lancefield group, it can be considered a pyogenic (pus-producing) strain of Streptococcus.
S. pyogenes, the group A streptococcus (GAS), has been divided into over 150 distinct M types based on serological differences found in a surface protein known as the M protein (specified by the emm gene).
Group B Streptococcus (GBS), also referred to as S. agalactiae, can be divided into nine CPS serotypes (Ia Ib, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII and VIII) each antigenically and structurally unique.
Characteristics:
Horizontal gene transfer mediated by bacteriophages is perhaphs the most important phenomenon occurring in the GAS, where they have a major impact on pathogenicity as well as bacterial genome diversity and evolution. Phage-associated GAS virulence factors include SpeA, SpeC, SpeG, SpeH, SpeI, SpeJ, SpeK, SpeL, SpeM, MF2, MF3, MF4, Sla, Ssa, Sda, Sdn, as well as HylP.
Disease:
GAS (S. pyogenes): responsible for a wide variety of disease, including pharyngitis, scarlet fever, impetigo, erysipelas, cellulitis, septicemia, toxic shock syndrome, necrotizing fasciitis and the sequelae, rheumatic fever and acute glomerulonephritis
GBS (S.agalactiae): neonatal meningitis, bacteria sepsis and pneumonia
S. pneumoniae: pneumonia
S. agalactiae 2603V/R, 2160267 bp, NC_004116
S. agalactiae A909, 2127839 bp, NC_007432
S. agalactiae NEM316, 2211485 bp, NC_004368
S. gordonii Challis (substr. CH1), 2196662 bp, NC_009785
S. mutans UA159, 2030921 bp, NC_004350
S. pneumoniae CGSP14, 2209198 bp, NC_010582
S. pneumoniae D39, 2046115 bp, NC_008533
S. pneumoniae Hungary19A-6, 2245615 bp, NC_010380
S. pneumoniae R6, 2038615 bp, NC_003098
S. pneumoniae TIGR4, 2160837 bp, NC_003028
S. pyogenes (serotype M1) MGAS5005, 1838554 bp, NC_007297
S. pyogenes (serotype M1) SF370, 1852441 bp, NC_002737
S. pyogenes (serotype M12) MGAS2096, 1860355 bp, NC_008023
S. pyogenes (serotype M12) MGAS9429, 1836467 bp, NC_008021
S. pyogenes (serotype M18) MGAS8232, 1895017 bp, NC_003485
S. pyogenes (serotype M2) MGAS10270, 1928252 bp, NC_008022
S. pyogenes (serotype M28) MGAS6180, 1897573 bp, NC_007296
S. pyogenes (serotype M3) MGAS315, 1900521 bp, NC_004070
S. pyogenes (serotype M3) SSI-1, 1894275 bp, NC_004606
S. pyogenes (serotype M4) MGAS10750, 1937111 bp, NC_008024
S. pyogenes (serotype M5) Manfredo, 1841271 bp, NC_009332
S. pyogenes (serotype M6) MGAS10394, 1899877 bp, NC_006086
S. sanguinis SK36, 2388435 bp, NC_009009
S. suis 05ZYH33, 2096309 bp, NC_009442
S. suis 98HAH33, 2095698 bp, NC_009443
S. thermophilus CNRZ1066, 1796226 bp, NC_006449
S. thermophilus LMD-9, 1856368 bp, NC_008532
S. thermophilus LMG 18311, 1796846 bp, NC_006448
Publications:
Ferretti JJ, et al., 2001. Complete genome sequence of an M1 strain of Streptococcus pyogenes Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 98(8):4658-4663.
Tettelin H, et al., 2001. Complete genome sequence of a virulent isolate of Streptococcus pneumoniae Science 293(5529):498-506.
Hoskins J, et al., 2001. Genome of the bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae strain R6. J. Bacteriol. 183(19):5709-5717.
Smoot JC, et al., 2002. Genome sequence and comparative microarray analysis of serotype M18 group A Streptococcus strains associated with acute rheumatic fever outbreaks. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 99(7):4668-4673.
Beres SB, et al., 2002. Genome sequence of a serotype M3 strain of group A Streptococcus: phage-encoded toxins, the high-virulence phenotype, and clone emergence. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 99(15):10078-10083.
Tettelin H, et al., 2002. Complete genome sequence and comparative genomic analysis of an emerging human pathogen, serotype V Streptococcus agalactiae Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 99(19):12391-12396.
Glaser P, et al., 2002. Genome sequence of Streptococcus agalactiae, a pathogen causing invasive neonatal disease. Mol. Microbiol. 45(6):1499-1513.
Ajdic D, et al., 2002. Genome sequence of Streptococcus mutans UA159, a cariogenic dental pathogen. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 99(22):14434-14439.
Nakagawa I, et al., 2003. Genome sequence of an M3 strain of Streptococcus pyogenes reveals a large-scale genomic rearrangement in invasive strains and new insights into phage evolution. Genome Res. 13(6):1042-1055.
Banks DJ, et al., 2004. Progress toward characterization of the group A Streptococcus metagenome: complete genome sequence of a macrolide-resistant serotype M6 strain. J. Infect. Dis. 190(4):727-738.
Bolotin A, et al., 2004. Complete sequence and comparative genome analysis of the dairy bacterium Streptococcus thermophilus. Nat Biotechnol 22(12):1554-1558.
Green NM, et al., 2005. Genome sequence of a serotype M28 strain of group a streptococcus: potential new insights into puerperal sepsis and bacterial disease specificity. J Infect Dis 192(5):760-770.
Sumby P, et al., 2005. Evolutionary origin and emergence of a highly successful clone of serotype M1 group a Streptococcus involved multiple horizontal gene transfer events. J Infect Dis 192(5):771-782.
Tettelin H, et al., 2005. Genome analysis of multiple pathogenic isolates of Streptococcus agalactiae: implications for the microbial "pan-genome". Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 102(39):13950-13955.
Beres SB, et al., 2006. Molecular genetic anatomy of inter- and intraserotype variation in the human bacterial pathogen group A Streptococcus. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 103(18):7059-7064.
Holden MT, et al., 2007. Complete genome of acute rheumatic fever-associated serotype M5 Streptococcus pyogenes strain manfredo. J Bacteriol 189(4):1473-1477.
Makarova K, et al., 2006. Comparative genomics of the lactic acid bacteria. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 103(42):15611-15616.
Lanie JA, et al., 2007. Genome sequence of Avery's virulent serotype 2 strain D39 of Streptococcus pneumoniae and comparison with that of unencapsulated laboratory strain R6. J Bacteriol 189(1):38-51.
Xu P, et al., 2007. Genome of the opportunistic pathogen Streptococcus sanguinis. J Bacteriol 189(8):3166-3175.
Chen C, et al., 2007. A Glimpse of Streptococcal Toxic Shock Syndrome from Comparative Genomics of S. suis 2 Chinese Isolates. PLoS ONE 2:e315.
Vickerman MM, et al., 2007. Genome-wide transcriptional changes in Streptococcus gordonii in response to competence signaling peptide. J Bacteriol 189(21):7799-7807.
Ding F, et al., 2009. Genome evolution driven by host adaptations results in a more virulent and antimicrobial-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 14. BMC Genomics 10:158.
S. agalactiae
Major virulence factors in S. agalactiae:
Adherence
FbsA
Lmb
PavA
Antiphagocytosis
β-C protein
Capsule
Complement protease
C5a peptidase
Exoenzyme
Hyaluronate lyase
Invasion
α-C protein
Toxin
β-haemolysin/cytolysin
CAMP factor
Location of virulence-associated genes in S. agalactiae:
S. pneumoniae
Major virulence factors in S. pneumoniae:
Adherence
CBPs
CbpA
Antiphagocytosis
Capsule
Complement resistance
PspA
Exoenzyme
Hyaluronate lyase
IgA1 Protease
IgA1 protease
Manganese uptake
PsaA
Protease
Autolysin
Neuraminidase
Toxin
Pneumolysin
Location of virulence-associated genes in S. pneumoniae:
S. pyogenes
Major virulence factors in S. pyogenes:
Adherence
FBPs
Anti-proteolysis
GRAB
Antiphagocytosis
Hyaluronic acid capsule
M protein
SIC
Complement protease
C5a peptidase
Exoenzyme
DNase
Hyaluronidase
IdeS
SpeB
Plasminogen activator
Streptokinase
Toxin
SLO
SLS
Spes
Location of virulence-associated genes in S. pyogenes:
