Role of polyamine transporter in pneumococcal stress responses

Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) is the major cause of community-acquired pneumonia and otitis media worldwide. Genetic plasticity, antibiotic resistance, limited serotype coverage of the available polysaccharide-based conjugate vaccines confounds therapeutic interventions. Polyamines are ubiquitous polycationic molecules that regulate biological processes such as transcription, translation, cell signaling and stress responses. This study demonstrates the need for polyamine metabolism in pneumococcal stress responses with implications for bacterial pathogenesis. In this study we show that disruption of polyamine hemostasis impairs pneumococcal physiology and virulence, providing insight into the potential for identifying novel therapeutic targets.