Regulation of pneumococcal epigenetic and colony phases by multiple two-component regulatory systems

Abstract excerpt

Streptococcus pneumoniae is well known for phase variation between opaque (O) and transparent (T) colonies within clonal populations.While the O variant is specialized in invasive infection (with a thicker capsule and higher resistance to host clearance), the T counterpart possesses a relatively thinner capsule and thereby higher airway adherence and colonization.Our previous study found that phase variation is...