Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine: http://www.expertreviews.org/
Accession information: Vol. 7; Issue 28; 9 December 2005 Abstract
PDF

Features of Streptococcus pyogenes

Luiza Guilherme, Kellen Faé, Sandra E. Oshiro and Jorge Kalil

Author contact details

Figure 1. Features of Streptococcus pyogenes. (a) Image showing in vitro colonisation and adherence of Streptococcus pyogenes on HEp-2 cells. Magnification,1000x. (b) Schematic representation of the cell wall of S. pyogenes (group A streptococcus). The streptococcal cell is covered by an outer hyaluronic acid capsule and is characterised by the group A carbohydrates composed of N-acetyl b-D-glucosamine and rhamnose. M, T and R are surface proteins; LTA (lipoteichoic acid) is involved in bacterial adherence to the throat epithelial cells. (c) The M protein, an adhesive factor, is composed of an N-terminal portion that contains A and B repeat regions (the A region defines the serotypes of streptococci strains); the C-terminal portion contains C and D regions that are highly conserved among the streptococci strains.

| home | search | glossary | links | sitemap | contact |

Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine © Cambridge University Press ISSN 1462-3994 (Disclaimer and copyright)
Editorial Office: Centre for Applied Research in Educational Technologies (CARET), 1st Floor, 16 Mill Lane, Cambridge, CB2 1SB, UK. Tel: +44 (0)1223 765 375; Fax: +44(0)1223 765 505; E-mail: ermm@caret.cam.ac.uk