Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
Trends Microbiol. 2018 Feb;26(2):132-144. doi: 10.1016/j.tim.2017.08.002. Epub 2017 Aug 31.
The M protein is the major surface-associated virulence factor of group A Streptococcus (GAS) and an antigenically variable target of host immunity. How selection pressures to escape immune recognition, maintain indispensable functions, and mask vulnerabilities have shaped the sequences of the >220M protein types is unclear. Recent experiments have shed light on this question by showing that, hidden within the antigenic variability of many M protein types, are sequence patterns conserved for recruiting human C4b-binding protein (C4BP). Other host factors may be recruited in a similar manner by conserved but hidden sequence patterns in the M protein. The identification of such patterns may be applicable to the development of a GAS vaccine.
M 蛋白是 A 组链球菌（GAS）的主要表面相关毒力因子，也是宿主免疫的抗原变异性靶标。选择压力如何逃避免疫识别、维持必不可少的功能和掩盖脆弱性，从而塑造了超过 220 种 M 蛋白类型的序列尚不清楚。最近的实验通过表明，在许多 M 蛋白类型的抗原变异性中隐藏着招募人类 C4 结合蛋白（C4BP）的保守序列模式，从而揭示了这个问题。其他宿主因子可能通过 M 蛋白中的保守但隐藏的序列模式以类似的方式被招募。识别此类模式可能适用于 GAS 疫苗的开发。
