2005•Infection and ImmunityOpen access
Contribution of Sialic Acid-Binding Adhesin to Pathogenesis of Experimental Endocarditis Caused by Streptococcus gordonii DL1
Yukihiro Takahashi, Eizo Takashima, Kisaki Shimazu, Hisao Yagishita, Takaaki Aoba, Kiyoshi Konishi
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Abstract
An insertional mutation in hsa, the gene encoding the sialic acid-binding adhesin of Streptococcus gordonii DL1, resulted in a significant reduction of the infection rate of the organism and an inflammatory reaction in the rat aortic valve with experimental endocarditis, suggesting that the adhesin contributes to the infectivity of the organism for heart valves.