Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 19, 2026

Invasion of Human Cells by a Bacterial Pathogen
07:15

Invasion of Human Cells by a Bacterial Pathogen

Published on: March 21, 2011

35.4K

Streptococcus pyogenes adhesion and colonization

Stephan Brouwer1, Timothy C Barnett1, Tania Rivera-Hernandez1

  • 1Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia.

FEBS Letters
|June 18, 2016
PubMed

Insights

Streptococcus pyogenes (group A Streptococcus, GAS) causes various illnesses. This review details molecular mechanisms of GAS adhesion and colonization, crucial for establishing infection.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Pathogenesis

Background:

  • Streptococcus pyogenes (group A Streptococcus, GAS) is a significant human pathogen.
  • GAS causes a range of diseases, from mild to life-threatening.
  • Transmission occurs via close contact and respiratory droplets, with the respiratory tract and skin as reservoirs.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the molecular mechanisms of GAS adhesion.
  • To summarize the current understanding of GAS colonization processes.
  • To highlight key virulence factors involved in initial infection steps.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies on GAS pathogenesis.
  • Analysis of molecular mechanisms of bacterial-host interaction.
  • Synthesis of current knowledge on GAS adherence and colonization.

Main Results:

  • GAS utilizes specific virulence factors for adhesion to host tissues.
  • Colonization of the upper respiratory tract and skin is a critical initial step.
  • Transcriptional regulation plays a key role in controlling these processes.

Conclusions:

  • Understanding GAS adhesion and colonization is vital for combating infections.
  • Further research into molecular mechanisms can inform therapeutic strategies.
  • GAS pathogenesis relies on complex interactions and regulatory networks.
Keywords:
Streptococcus pyogenesadherencebiofilmcolonizationpathogenesistranscriptional regulation

More Related Videos

Introducing Shear Stress in the Study of Bacterial Adhesion13:28

Introducing Shear Stress in the Study of Bacterial Adhesion

Published on: September 2, 2011

16.3K
Investigating the Effects of Probiotics on Pneumococcal Colonization Using an In Vitro Adherence Assay09:20

Investigating the Effects of Probiotics on Pneumococcal Colonization Using an In Vitro Adherence Assay

Published on: April 28, 2014

13.2K

Related Concept Videos

Colonisation of Pathogens01:25

Colonisation of Pathogens

Pathogen colonization of host tissues is a critical step in the development of infectious diseases. Various pathogenic microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, viruses, and protozoa, have evolved complex strategies to attach to, invade, and persist within host environments. These mechanisms enable pathogens to establish infections, evade immune responses, and resist antimicrobial treatments.Attachment to Host CellsIn bacteria, colonization typically begins with adherence to host epithelial...
9
Adherens Junctions01:24

Adherens Junctions

Strong contact points between adjacent cells anchor them to each other, forming tissues. Such anchoring junctions are of two types –  adherens junctions and desmosomes. Adherens junctions are abundant in tissues such as  epithelium and endothelium, forming a continuous zone of adhesion called the adhesion belt. In other tissues, such as  heart muscle, they appear as clusters, linking the cells to produce coordinated heart muscle contraction.
Adherens Junctions are Dynamic
7.5K
Staphylococcal Skin Infections01:29

Staphylococcal Skin Infections

Staphylococcus aureus is a Gram-positive coccus that resides harmlessly on the skin and mucous membranes of healthy individuals. When the skin barrier is breached, it can shift from a commensal to an opportunistic pathogen. This transition is facilitated by surface adhesins, such as clumping factor B and S. aureus surface protein G (SasG), which bind to structural proteins, including loricrin and cytokeratin, in the damaged epidermis. Protein A, another key factor, binds the Fc region of...
4
Selectins01:25

Selectins

Cell adhesion is  an essential aspect of multicellularity. While stable cell interactions usually occur between cells of the same type, transient cell interactions occur between cells of different tissue types, such as between neutrophils and endothelial cells. Selectins are one class of cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) that bind carbohydrate ligands to form transient cell adhesion. They are rod-like proteins with a long extracellular part of variable length ending with the lectin domain,...
4.7K
Adhesion01:14

Adhesion

Adhesion occurs when one type of molecule is attracted to a different molecule. Water exhibits adhesive properties in the presence of polar surfaces, such as glass or cellulose in plants. For instance, when water is poured into a glass, the positively charged hydrogen molecules of water are more attracted to the negatively charged oxygen molecules in the silica than to the oxygen in neighboring water molecules.
Capillary action is a result of water’s adhesive tendencies. When a narrow...
45.4K
Cell Adhesion in Plants01:14

Cell Adhesion in Plants

Plants have rigid cell walls that are made up of cell wall polysaccharides that mediate cell-cell adhesion. The primary cell walls of plants consist of two independent and interacting polysaccharide networks: a pectin matrix that embeds the second network comprising cellulose and hemicelluloses.
Pectins are complex heteropolymers mainly composed of negatively-charged α-D-glucopyranosyl uronic acid and some neutral glycosyl residues such as α-L-rhamnopyranose, α-L-arabinofuranose,...
3.5K