Genetic diversity among the T-protein genes of group A streptococci

T protein is a trypsin- and pepsin-resistant molecule on the surface of group A streptococci used as a serological tool to differentiate streptococci of this group. The purpose of this study was to determine the relatedness among the T protein genes of the 25 known T serotypes. DNA probes were constructed which represented various regions of the structural gene for the T6 protein, tee6. The probes were assayed for their ability to hybridize HindIII digests of chromosomal DNA from the 25 different T serotypes. Probe pTEE6.3, coding for the entire T6 protein, and pTEE6(1-299), coding for the amino-terminal half of T6, displayed the highest amount of homology, each binding to 10 of 25 T serotypes. Probes coding for sequences in the carboxy-terminal half of T6 showed considerably less homology among T serotypes with one probe hybridizing with only three out of 25. A synthetic oligonucleotide coding for the carboxy-terminal hydrophobic domain of T6, an area conserved to some degree among several bacterial surface proteins, showed homology with only seven out of 25 T serotypes. Hybridization with sequences outside the tee6 coding area provided additional information on the relatedness of certain sets of T serotypes according to restriction-fragment size heterogeneity. Clearly, there is considerable diversity among T-serotype genes. The data suggest that two or more families of structurally variant T proteins exist, which share only the property of proteolytic resistance and/or, perhaps, some biological function.