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Volume 146, Issue 5

and gene sequence variation in relation to serological typing of opacity-factor-positive group A streptococci Free

Abstract

Approximately 40–60% of group A streptococcal (GAS) isolates are capable of opacifying sera, due to the expression of the (serum opacity factor) gene. The (M protein gene) and 5′ sequences were obtained from a diverse set of GAS reference strains and clinical isolates, and correlated with M serotyping and anti-opacity-factor testing results. Attempts to amplify from strains with M serotypes or types historically associated with the opacity-factor-negative phenotype were negative, except for strains, which were found to contain a highly conserved sequence. There was a strong correlation of certain M serotypes with specific sequences regardless of strain background, and likewise a strong association of specific anti-opacity-factor (AOF) types to gene sequence types. In several examples, M type identity, or partial identity shared between strains with differing types, was correlated with short, highly conserved 5′ sequences likely to encode M-type-specific epitopes. Additionally, each of three pairs of historically distinct M type reference strains found to share the same 5′ sequence, were also found to share M serotype specificity. Based upon sequence comparisons between strains of the same and of differing AOF types, an approximately 450 residue domain was determined likely to contain key epitopes required for AOF type specificity. Analysis of two Sof sequences that were not highly homologous, yet shared a common AOF type, further implicated a 107 aa portion of this 450-residue domain in putatively containing AOF-specific epitopes. Taken together, the serological data suggest that AOF-specific epitopes for all Sof proteins may reside within a region corresponding to this 107-residue sequence. The presence of specific, hypervariable / pairs within multiple isolates appears likely to be a reliable indicator of their overall genetic relatedness, and to be very useful for accurate subtyping of GAS isolates by an approach that has relevance to decades of past M-type-based epidemiological data.

  • Received:
  • Accepted:
  • Revised:
  • Published Online:
Keyword(s): AOF, anti-opacity factor , CDC, Centers for Disease Control , emm gene sequences , GAS, group A streptococci, , NT, nontypable , OF, opacity factor , opacity factor , sof variable gene sequences and Streptococcus pyogenes
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2000-05-01
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emm and sof gene sequence variation in relation to serological typing of opacity-factor-positive group A streptococci
Microbiology 146, 1195 (2000); https://doi.org/10.1099/00221287-146-5-1195
/content/journal/micro/10.1099/00221287-146-5-1195
/content/journal/micro/10.1099/00221287-146-5-1195
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