Streptococcus pyrogenes

Hanski, E., Horwitz, P. A., and Caparon, M. G. (1992). Expression of protein F, the fibronectin-binding protein of Streptococcus pyrogenes JRS4, in heterologous streptococcal and enterococcal strains promotes their adherence to respiratory epithelial cells. Infect. Immun. 60, 5119-5125. 

Coley s Toxins are the by-products from two common bacteria. Streptococcus pyrogenes and Serratia marcescens. The toxins can cause a fever anywhere from slightly above normal to 105°F, and a pulse rate of 100 or more, and accompanying chills. In other words, flu-like symptoms. To quote directly from Moss s book ... 

Figure 1. The crystal structure (chain B) of the ISU-type protein from Streptococcus pyrogenes (Sp) (PDB ID ISUO) shown in steroview. Highlighted residues include Cys requiredfor Fe-S cluster formation (C40, C65, Cl 27) and highly conserved acidic residues (D16, D42, D77, E56, D57, andD28) Residue D42 is the homologous site for D37 found in human ISU.

Its most important use is as an antibacterial agent against a wide spectrum of organisms, such as Streptococcus pyrogenes, viridans and pneumoniae Staphylococcus aureus and epidermidis, H. influenzae, Klebsiella-Enterobacter-Serratia, E. coli, various Shigella and Salmonella, Bordetella pertussis. Vibrio cholerae and Plasmodia. 

Streptococcus pyogenes and Staphylococcus aureus secrete a number of enterotoxins and pyrogenic exotoxins, respectively. These toxins are known as superantigens, since they simultaneously form complexes with the major histocompatibility class II (MHC-II) molecules and T-cell receptors (TCRs) enabling them to activate a number of T-cell lymphocytes. Thus, superantigens stimulate up to... 

Goshorn SC, Bohach GA, Schlievert PM Cloning and characterization of the gene, speC, for pyrogenic exotoxin type C from Streptococcus pyogenes. Mol Gen Genet 1988 12 66-70. 

ProftT, Arcus Y Handley Y Baker E, Fraser J Immunological and biochemical characterization of streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxins I and J (SPE-I and SPE-J) from Streptococcus pyogenes. J Immun 2001 166 6711-6719. 

Artiushin SC, Timoney JF, Sheoran AS, Muthupalani SK Characterization and immunogenicity of pyrogenic mitogens SePE-H and SePE-I of Streptococcus equi. Microb Pathog 2002 32 71-85. 

YuCE, Ferretti JJ Molecular epidemiologic analysis of the type A streptococcal exotoxin (erythrogenic toxin) gene (speA) in clinical Streptococcus pyogenes strains. Infect Immun 1989 57 3715-3719. Hauser A, Stevens D, Kaplan E, Schlievert P Molecular analysis of pyrogenic exotoxins from Streptococcus pyogenes isolates associated with toxic shock-like syndrome. J Clin Microbiol 1991 29 1562-1567. 

Sriskandan S, Moyes D, Buttery L, Krausz T, Evans T, Polak J, Cohen J Streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin A release, distribution, and role in a murine model of fasciitis and multiorgan failure due to Streptococcus pyogenes. J Infect Dis 1996 173 1399-1407. 

Smoot LM, McCormick JK, Smoot JC, Hoe NP, Strickland I, Cole RL, Barbian KD, Earhart CA, Ohlendorf DH, Veasy LG, Hill HR, Leung DYM, Schlievert PM, Musser JM Characterization of two novel pyrogenic toxin superantigens made by an acute rheumatic fever clone of Streptococcus pyogenes associated with multiple disease outbreaks. Infect Immun 2002 70 7095-7104. 

Swietnicki W, Barnie AM, Dyas BK, Ulrich RG Zinc binding and dimerization of Streptococcus pyogenes pyrogenic exotoxin C are not essential for T-cell stimulation. J Biol Chem 2003 278 9885-9895. 

Colon-Whitt A., Whitt R.S., Cole R.M. 1979. Production of an erythrogenic toxin (streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin) by a nonlysogenized group A streptococcus. In Pathogenic streptococci, (Ed Parker, M.T.) Reedbooks, England, 64-65. 

Musser, J.M., Hauser, A.R., Kim, M., Schlievert, P.M., Nelson, K. and Selander, R.K. 1991. Streptococcus pyogenes causing toxic shock-like syndrome and other invasive diseases clonal diversity and pyrogenic exotoxin expression. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA. 88 2668-2672. 

Nelson, K., Schlievert, P.M., Selander, R.K., and Musser, J.M. 1991. Characterization and clonal distribution of four alleles of the speA gene encoding pyrogenic exotoxin A (scarlet fever toxin) in Streptococcus pyogenes. J. Exp. Med. 174 1271 -1274. 

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