Inter- and intraserotypic variation in the Streptococcus pyogenes Rgg regulon.

Human isolates of Streptococcus pyogenes, a Gram-positive bacterium, are characterized by significant genetic and phenotypic variation. The rgg locus, also known as ropB, is a global transcriptional regulator of genes associated with metabolism, stress responses, and virulence in S. pyogenes strain NZ131 (serotype M49). To assess the breadth of the Rgg regulon, the rgg gene was inactivated in three additional strains representing serotypes M1 (strains SF370 and MGAS5005) and M49 (strain CS101). Changes in gene expression were identified in the postexponential phase of growth using Affymetrix NimbleExpress Arrays. The results identified an Rgg core-regulon consisting of speB and adjacent hypothetical protein gene, spy2040, and a variable and strain-specific subregulon, ranging in size from a single gene (spy1793) in strain MGAS5005 to 43 genes in strain SF370. Thus, both interserotypic and intraserotypic variation is characteristic of the Rgg regulon in S. pyogenes.