Staphylococcus aureus (SA) and group A Streptococcus (GAS) are prominent Gram-positive
bacterial pathogens, each associated with a variety of mucosal and invasive human …

The resurgence of severe invasive group A streptococcal infections in the 1980s is a typical
example of the reemergence of an infectious disease. We found that this resurgence is a …

Prophages are phages in lysogeny that are integrated into, and replicated as part of, the
host bacterial genome. These mobile elements can have tremendous impact on their …

The innate immune response plays a crucial role in satisfactory host resolution of bacterial
infection. In response to chemotactic signals, neutrophils are early responding cells that …

Neutrophil extracellular traps are networks of DNA and associated proteins produced by
nucleosome release from activated neutrophils in response to infection stimuli and have …

Most invasive bacterial infections are caused by species that more commonly colonize the
human host with minimal symptoms. Although phenotypic or genetic correlates underlying a …

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide.
Pneumococci can counteract the action of neutrophils with an antiphagocytic capsule and …

To better understand the molecular events involved in the origin of new pathogenic bacteria,
we studied the evolution of a highly virulent clone of serotype M1 group A Streptococcus …

Horizontal DNA transfer (HDT) is a pervasive mechanism of diversification in many microbial
species, but its primary evolutionary role remains controversial. Much recent research has …

Group A streptococci (GAS) are genetically diverse. Determination of strain features can
reveal associations with disease and resistance and assist in vaccine formulation. We …