FIG. 4.

FCT (pilus/T antigen) regions of GAS genome strains. The genes from the streptococcal FCT (pilus/T antigen) region from each genome strain were compared by CLUSTAL W alignment. The M3, M5, M18, and M49 genomes were closely related at the nucleotide level over this region, and all contained the nra regulator gene. By contrast, the remaining genomes (M1, M2, M4, M6, M12, and M28) substituted the rofA gene for nra and were more diverse as a group in general. Since the serotypes that have been analyzed by genome sequencing more than once (M1, M3, and M12) are essentially identical over this range, only one of each serotype is shown. The FCT region type (51) and the emm pattern (13) of each genome are indicated. Highly conserved regions shared by different genomes are indicated by color. The nra gene from the M3 genome and the srtB gene from the M12 genome have possible mutations in their ORFs that cause premature termination of transcription. The following genes are shown: cpa (collagen binding protein), prtF1 (fibronectin binding protein; also known as sfb1), prtF2 (fibronectin binding protein; also known as pflpI and fbaB), and fbp (fibronectin binding protein).