Dynamic capsule restructuring by the main pneumococcal autolysin LytA in response to the epithelium

Abstract

Pneumococci produce a carbohydrate capsule that protects them against components of the host immune system but sensitizes them to host antimicrobial peptides. Here, Kietzman et al.show that pneumococci respond to antimicrobial peptides by capsule shedding, which requires the main autolysin LytA.