Abstract
Evaluation of homologous regions of published M protein (emm) gene sequences from group A streptococci (GAS; Streptococcus pyogenes) was used to design three primer pairs for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and three oligonucleotide probe sequences internal to the amplified products. One set of primers and corresponding probe should detect and lead to amplification of emm(-like) genes of virtually every type (“all M”), another (“SOR-M”) should only amplify emm(-like) genes from GAS negative for serum opacity reaction (SOR) and the third (“SOR+M”) should expand only emm(-like) genes from SOR+ GAS. Using the “all M” primer pair for PCR on the genomic DNA from GAS of 29 different M types as well as from a group C and a group G streptococcal isolate, DNA fragments within the expected size range were amplified in every assay. All PCR products reacted with the “all M” probe. Related sequences were not detected in genomic DNA of an S. agalactiae and an Enterococcus faecalis isolate. Applying the “SOR-M” and “SOR+M” primers to identical assays led to mutually exclusive amplification products. The “SOR+M” and “SOR+M” probes hybridized only to their corresponding products. Exceptions to this exclusivity were the SOR+ GAS of M types 3, 8, 27, 34, 42, 67, and 69, which consistently reacted only with the “SOR+M” primer/probe set. Analysis of sequence data from the amplified emm(-like) 2, 3, 18, and 19 genes revealed interesting specific features such as conserved gaps in the C-terminal sequence regions from SOR+ and the exceptional SOR- GAS strains. These data indicate the existence of a subgroup of strains among SOR- GAS and may advance our understanding of phylogenetic relationship between different serotypes of GAS.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bessen D, Fischetti VA (1990) A human IgG receptor of group A streptococci is associated with tissue site of infection and streptococcal class. J Infect Dis 161:747–754
Bessen D, Jones KF, Fischetti VA (1989) Evidence for two distinct classes of streptococcal M protein and their relationship to rheumatic fever. J Exp Med 169:269–283
Birnboim HC (1983) A rapid alkaline extraction method for the isolation of plasmid DNA. Methods Enzymol 100:243–255
Chen CC, Cleary PP (1990) Complete nucleotide sequence of the streptococcal C5 a peptidase gene of Streptococcus pyogenes. J Biol Chem 265:3161–3167
Facklam RR, Edwards LR (1979) A reference laboratory's investigations of proposed M-type strains of Streptococcus pyogenes, capsular types of Streptococcus agalactiae, and new group antigens of streptococci. In: Parker MT (ed) Pathogenic Streptococci. Reedbooks, Chertsey, pp 251–253
Fischetti VA (1989) Streptococcal M protein: molecular design and biological behavior. Clin Microbiol Rev 2:285–314
Fischetti VA, Pancholi V, Schneewind O (1990) Conservation of a hexapeptide sequence in the anchor region of surface proteins from gram-positive cocci. Mol Microbiol 4:1603–1605
Frithz E, Heden LO, Lindahl G (1989) Extensive sequence homology between IgA receptor and M proteins in Streptococcus pyogenes. Mol Microbiol 3:1111–1119
Gaworzewska E, Colman G (1988) Changes in pattern of infection caused by Streptococcus pyogenes. Epidemiol Infect 100:257–269
Gomi H, Hozumi T, Hattori S, Tagawa C, Kishimoto F, Björck L (1990) The gene sequence and some properties of protein H. J Immunol 144:4046–4052
Haanes EJ, Cleary PP (1989) Identification of a divergent M protein gene and an M protein-related gene family in Streptococcus pyogenes serotype 49. J Bacteriol 171:6397–6408
Haanes-Fritz E, Kraus W, Burdett V, Dale JB, Beachey EH, Cleary P (1988) Comparison of the leader sequences of four group A streptococcal M protein genes. Nucleic Acids Res 16:4667–4677
Heath DG, Cleary PP (1989) Fc-receptor and M-protein genes of group A streptococci are products of gene duplication. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 86:4741–4745
Hollingshead SK, Fischetti VA, Scott JR (1986) Complete nucleotide sequence of type 6 M protein of the group A streptococcus. J Biol Chem 261:1677–1686
Hollingshead SK, Fischetti VA, Scott JR (1987) Size variation in group A streptococcal M proteins is generated by homologous recombination between intragenic repeats. Mol Gen Genet 207:196–203
Huang TT, Malke H, Ferretti JJ (1989) Heterogeneity of the streptokinase gene in group A streptococci. Infect Immun 57:502–506
Kaplan EL, Johnson DR, Cleary PP (1989) Group A streptococcal serotypes isolated from patients and sibling contacts during the resurgence of rheumatic fever in the United States in the mid-1980's. J Infect Dis 159:101–103
Kusukawa N, Uemori T, Asada K, Kato T (1990) Rapid and reliable protocol for direct sequencing of material amplified by the polymerase chain reaction. Bio Techniques 9:66–72
Lindahl G (1989) Cell surface proteins of a group A streptococcus type M 4: the IgA receptor and a receptor related to M proteins are coded for by closely linked genes. Mol Gen Genet 216:372–379
Maxted WR, Widdowson JP, Fraser CAM, Ball LC, Bassett DJC (1973) The use of the serum opacity reaction in the typing of group A streptococci. J Med Microbiol 6:83–90
Miller L, Burdett V, Poirier TP, Gray LD, Beachey EH, Kehoe MA (1988) Conservation of protective and nonprotective epitopes in M proteins of group A streptococci. Infect Immun 56:2198–2204
Miller L, Gray L, Beachey E, Kehoe M (1988) Antigenic variation among group A streptococcal M proteins. J Biol Chem 263:5668–5673
Mouw AR, Beachey EH, Burdett V (1988) Molecular evolution of streptococcal M protein: cloning and nucleotide sequence of the type 24 M protein gene and relation to other genes of Streptococcus pyogenes. J Bacteriol 170:676–684
Podbielski A, Kühnemund O, Lütticken R (1990) Identification of group A type 1 streptococcal M protein gene by a non-radioactive oligonucleotide detection method. Med Microbiol Immunol 179:255–262
Relf WA, Sriprakash KS (1990) Limited repertoire of the C-terminal region of the M protein in Streptococcus pyogenes. FEMS Microbiol Lett 71:345–350
Robbins JC, Spanier JG, Jones SJ, Simpson WJ, Cleary PP (1987) Streptococcus pyogenes type 12 M protein gene regulation by upstream sequences. J Bacteriol 169:5633–5640
Saiki RK, Gelfand DH, Stoffel S, Scharf SJ, Higuchi R, Horn GT, Mulis KB, Erlich HA (1988) Primer-directed enzymatic amplification of DNA with a thermostable DNA polymerase. Science 239:487–491
Sambrook J, Fritsch EF, Maniatis T (1989) Molecular cloning: a laboratory manual, (2nd edn). Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor
Sanger F, Nicklen S, Coulson AR (1977) DNA sequencing with chain-terminating inhibitors. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 74:5463–5467
Saravani GA, Martin DR (1990) Characterization of opacity factor from group-A streptococci. J Med Microbiol 33:55–60
Scott JR, Pulliam WM, Hollingshead SK, Fischetti VA (1985) Relationship of M protein genes in group A streptococci. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 82:1822–1826
Simpson WJ, Cleary PP (1987) Expression of M type 12 protein by a group A streptococcus exhibits phaselike variation: evidence for coregulation of colony opacity determinants and M protein. Infect Immun 55:2448–2455
Simpson WJ, Robbins JC, Cleary PP (1987) Evidence for group A-related M protein genes in human but not animal-associated group G streptococcal pathogens. Microb Pathogen 3:339–350
Spratt BG, Hedge PJ, Te Heesen S, Edelmann A, Broome-Smith JK (1986) Kanamycin-resistant vectors that are analogues of plasmids pUC8, pUC9, pEMBL8 and pEMBL9. Gene 4:337–342
Wilks AF (1989) Cloning members of gene families: an application of the polymerase chain reaction. Technique 1:66–75
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Podbielski, A., Melzer, B. & Lütticken, R. Application of the polymerase chain reaction to study the M protein(-like) gene family in beta-hemolytic streptococci. Med Microbiol Immunol 180, 213–227 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00215250
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00215250