Molecular mechanism of virulence regulation in Streptococcus pyogenes

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 DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Group A Streptococcus (GAS) is an exclusive human pathogen that causes a wide spectrum of disease conditions. Disease burden caused by GAS infections is significant as the invasive GAS infections alone account for approximately 500,000 deaths worldwide every year. Given the difficulties in treating the invasive infections, rise in GA invasive disease outbreaks, and lack of effective prophylactic measures, it is critical to investigate the virulence regulatory mechanisms and identify novel antimicrobial targets. Secreted cysteine protease, SpeB, is produced abundantly during infection and is critical for the pathogenesis of GAS invasive infections. GAS global transcription regulator, RopB, controls the expression of ~ 25% of GAS genome including speB in a growth phase- dependent manner. Although RopB is essential for the transcription regulation, it requires growth- phase-specific input signals to mediate gene regulation. Using a multidisciplinary approach, we recently demonstrated that RopB uses GAS-encoded secreted peptides as intercellular signals to control virulence regulation in concert with cell density. Our studies revealed that peptide signals originating from the secretion signal sequence of Vfr inhibits RopB-dependent virulence gene expression during low cell density. Although our preliminary data indicate that high cell density- specific activation peptide signal(s) activates RopB-mediated gene regulation, both the genetic and biochemical identity of the peptide signals remain unknown. Using a combination of genetic, biochemical, biophysical approach, and animal models of infection, we will study three major aspects of this signaling circuit namely, signal generation, signal sensing, and signal transduction. Data generated from this study will elucidate the key components of an important virulence regulatory pathway and may elucidate novel molecular targets for the development of antimicrobials to treat GAS invasive infections.