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Science 1 July 2005:
Vol. 309. no. 5731, p. 105
DOI: 10.1126/science.1111563
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Genome Analysis Reveals Pili in Group B Streptococcus

Peter Lauer,1* Cira D. Rinaudo,1 Marco Soriani,1 Immaculada Margarit,1 Domenico Maione,1 Roberto Rosini,1 Anna Rita Taddei,2 Marirosa Mora,1 Rino Rappuoli,1 Guido Grandi,1 John L. Telford1{dagger}

Pili are essential virulence factors in many Gram-negative bacteria; however, they have not been described in most important Gram-positive pathogens. While screening the sequence of multiple genomes of Group B Streptococcus, we identified protective antigens that formed high molecular weight polymers. Immunogold electron microscopy revealed that the structures have a pilus-like form. These large structures have gone unrecognized in decades of studies of Group B Streptococcus.

1 Chiron Srl, Via Fiorentina 1, 53100 Siena, Italy.
2 Centro Interdipartimentale di Microscopia Elettronica, University of Tuscia, Viterbo, Italy.

* Present address: Cerus Corporation, 2411 Stanwell Drive, Concord, CA 95420, USA.

{dagger} To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: john_telford{at}chiron.com

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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)