Fig. 1.

Generation of anaphylatoxins C3a and C5a and subsequent degradations by CEPs. A schematic presentation of the common terminal complement system pathway. The production of anaphylatoxins C3a and C5a, depicted in orange, by the C3 convertases and C5 convertase remains central to the pathways, leading to the formation of the MAC. Pictured in the grey box is the cleavage of chemoattractants by CEPs and the resultant inability to bind and activate their respective receptors. CEPs, cell-envelope proteases; MAC, membrane attack complex; SpyCEP, Streptococcus pyogenes CEP. Adapted from Monk et al. [7]. Created with BioRender.com.