Streptococcus Bacterium Enzyme Identified

Professor Gary Black and his team from Newcastle University have found a triple stranded beta helix shaped enzyme which is responsible for the increased pathogenicity produced by Streptococcus bacterium. Streptococcus is a gram positive bacterium which is the main cause of sore throat and is also responsible for causing Toxic shock syndrome, rheumatic fever, septicemia and necrotizing faciitis. Black has published the results of his work in the Journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Professor Black feels that the enzyme is responsible for causing deadly diseases in humans and it can be controlled if drugs could be produced against the newly identified enzyme.