Molecular Genetic Analysis of a Group A Streptococcus Operon Encoding Serum Opacity Factor and a Novel Fibronectin-Binding Protein, SfbX

Abstract excerpt

The group A Streptococcus (GAS) sof gene encodes the serum opacity factor protein, which is capable of opacifying mammalian sera and binding at least two host proteins, fibronectin and fibrinogen. The sof gene exists in approximately 50% of clinical isolates, and there is a classical association of so-called nephritogenic strains with the opacity factor-positive phenotype. In both a type emm49 strain and a type...