# IMMUNOCHEMISTRY OF STREPTOCOCCAL MEMBRANE PROTEINS

> **NIH NIH R01** · WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY · 1987 · $118,981

## Abstract

Group A and C streptococci have the ability to surround themselves with a
capsule formed by hyaluronic acid (HA) which serves as a virulence factor.
The structure of streptococcal HA is identical to mammalian HA where it is
a ubiquitous component of connective tissue.  HA is also synthesized and
secreted by many differentiated cells in the body and plays a role in the
morphogenesis of embryonic tissue, the invasiveness of carcinoma cells, and
virus transformation of fibroblasts and chondrocytes.  Finally,
deregulation of the synthesis of HA appears to play an important role in
Marfans syndrome and osteogenesis imperfecta.  Therefore an examination of
the mode of synthesis of this biological molecules is required in order to
understand its role in the above processes.  The cell free synthesis of HA
was demonstrated in 1955 but attempts at solubilization of the synthetase
have all failed until recently.  Our laboratory is the first group to
solubile the HA synthetase with its enzymatic activity intact.
Furthermore, a requirement for phospholipid was demonstrated for both
reactivation and enhancement of the enzsymatic activity.  The overall
objective of this proposal is to purify and characterize the HA synthetase
from streptococci.  Toward this objective we plan to isolate the
streptococcal enzyme using affinity chromatography and specific probes.  In
addition the synthetase will be cloned into E. coli to engineer an
overproducer of the synthetase.  As the synthetase is isolated it will be
characterized as to its physical properties, phospholipid requirements,
substrate kinetics, size of product, role of primer, and location of
addition of monosaccharides (reducing or nonreducing end).  The completion
of these specific aim should provide us with the information to understand
the regulation of the production of this molecule in procaryote cells.
Finally, these studies should add information useful in understanding the
role of this molecule as a virulence factor in the poststreptococcal
sequelae (acute rheumatic fever, glomerulonephritis) and its deregulation
in such disease states as Marfans syndrome, osteogenesis imperfecta, and
cancer.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3129158
- **Project number:** 2R01AI019756-05A1
- **Recipient organization:** WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY
- **SAM.gov UEI:** MBU6HCLNZ431
- **Principal Investigator:** IVO J VAN DE RIJN
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1987
- **Award amount:** $118,981
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 1982-06-01 → 1991-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3129158

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3129158, IMMUNOCHEMISTRY OF STREPTOCOCCAL MEMBRANE PROTEINS (2R01AI019756-05A1). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3129158. Licensed CC0.

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