WciG O-Acetyltransferase Functionality Differentiates Pneumococcal Serotypes 35C and 42

摘要

Streptococcus pneumoniae (the pneumococcus) is a major human pathogen frequently responsible for pneumonia, as well as sepsis and meningitis. Despite the availability of vaccines and antibiotics, pneumococcal infections remain a significant cause of morbidity and mortality: pneumococcal infections account for ～11% of all worldwide deaths of children younger than 5 years old (1). As a species, pneumococci can express at least 98 chemically and serologically distinct capsule types (serotypes) (2, 3), but only a subset of these is frequently observed in sepsis and meningitis, which together are termed invasive pneumococcal diseases (IPDs). Pathogenic pneumococcal isolates from patients with IPDs almost always express polysaccharide capsules (4), which shield pneumococci from host immunity and dramatically increase their virulence (5).