The Streptococcus equi prophage-encoded protein SEQ2045 is a hyaluronan-specific hyaluronate lyase that is produced during equine infection.

Anna-Marie Lindsay, Meng Zhang, Zoe Mitchell, Matthew T G Holden, Andrew S Waller, Iain C Sutcliffe, Gary W Black

School of Applied Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8ST, UK.

Microbiology (Reading, England) 2009 Feb

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Streptococcus equi causes equine 'strangles'. Hyaluronate lyases, which degrade connective tissue hyaluronan and chondroitins, are thought to facilitate streptococcal invasion of the host. However, prophage-encoded hyaluronate lyases are hyaluronan-specific and are thought to be primarily involved in the degradation of the hyaluronan capsule of streptococci during bacteriophage infection. To understand the role of prophage-encoded hyaluronate lyases further, we have biochemically characterized such a hyaluronate lyase, SEQ2045 from S. equi, and have shown that it is produced during equine infection. Prophage-encoded hyaluronan-specific hyaluronate lyases may therefore play a more direct role in disease pathogenesis than previously thought.

Citation

Anna-Marie Lindsay, Meng Zhang, Zoe Mitchell, Matthew T G Holden, Andrew S Waller, Iain C Sutcliffe, Gary W Black. The Streptococcus equi prophage-encoded protein SEQ2045 is a hyaluronan-specific hyaluronate lyase that is produced during equine infection. Microbiology (Reading, England). 2009 Feb;155(Pt 2):443-9