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Mitis group streptococci express variable pilus islet 2 pili.

Dorothea Zähner1, Ashish R Gandhi, Hong Yi

  • 1Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America. dzahner@emory.edu

Plos One
|October 4, 2011
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Pilus-islet 2 (PI-2) pili were identified in oral streptococci, revealing significant genetic diversity due to horizontal gene transfer. This pilus variation may explain differences in bacterial interactions and disease potential within this group.

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Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Genetics
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Mitis group streptococci, including Streptococcus oralis, Streptococcus mitis, and Streptococcus sanguinis, are key players in oral biofilm formation, dental plaque, and infective endocarditis.
  • These bacteria engage in complex bacteria-bacteria and bacteria-host interactions.
  • The human pathogen Streptococcus pneumoniae utilizes pilus-islet 2 (PI-2) encoded pili for adhesion to host cells.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the presence and characteristics of PI-2 pili in Mitis group oral streptococci.
  • To explore the genetic diversity and evolutionary mechanisms, such as horizontal gene transfer, of PI-2 pili in these species.
  • To understand the potential role of PI-2 pili in the pathogenic traits of Mitis group streptococci.

Main Methods:

  • Identification and genetic analysis of PI-2 pilus-encoding islets in oral streptococci isolates.
  • Sequencing and comparative analysis of pitA and pitB genes, encoding structural pilus proteins.
  • Development of polyclonal antisera against PitA and PitB for immunodetection of pili.
  • Electron microscopy to visualize pilus structures.
  • Electronic multilocus sequence analysis for phylogenetic assessment.

Main Results:

  • PI-2 pilus-encoding genetic islets were found in specific isolates of S. oralis, S. mitis, and S. sanguinis, but not universally.
  • The identified PI-2 islets showed variations in pitA and pitB genes compared to S. pneumoniae, with multiple variants identified.
  • Evidence of intra- and interspecies horizontal gene transfer was indicated by species-independent combinations of pitA and pitB variants.
  • Electron microscopy confirmed the presence of pili on the bacterial surface, with lengths exceeding 700 nm.
  • Antiserum cross-reactivity suggested distinct interactions between pilus variants and antibodies.

Conclusions:

  • This study represents the first identification of PI-2 pili in Mitis group oral streptococci.
  • The findings highlight horizontal gene transfer as a significant driver of genetic diversity for PI-2 pili within these bacteria.
  • The observed diversity in PI-2 pili offers a potential link to strain-specific interactions, tissue tropisms, and pathogenic capabilities in Mitis group streptococci.