Nucleotide sequence of the type A streptococcal exotoxin (erythrogenic toxin) gene from Streptococcus pyogenes bacteriophage T12.

The gene specifying type A streptococcal exotoxin (speA), also known as erythrogenic toxin, was cloned from the Streptococcus pyogenes bacteriophage T12 genome and analyzed by nucleotide sequencing. The speA gene consists of 753 base pairs and codes for a 29,244-molecular-weight protein. The speA gene product contains a putative 30-amino acid signal peptide, resulting in a molecular weight of 25,787 for the secreted protein. A possible promoter and ribosome-binding site are present in the region upstream from the speA gene, and a transcriptional terminator is located 69 bases downstream from the translational termination codon. The amino acid sequence of the carboxy-terminal portion of the type A streptococcal exotoxin exhibits extensive homology with the carboxy terminus of Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxins B and C1.