Emm55 protein, Streptococcus pyogenes (Emm55)

Emm55 protein is a variant of the M protein family from *Streptococcus pyogenes*, encoded by the emm55 gene. M proteins are key virulence factors that are anchored to the bacterial cell wall and function predominantly in immune evasion and, in some variants, in mediating interactions with extracellular matrix components like collagen[1]. The Emm55 protein is immunogenic and has been investigated as a bacterial antigen to stimulate immune responses against cancer. In preclinical studies, DNA vaccines encoding emm55 have shown the ability to enhance T cell infiltration and antitumor immune activity in murine models, especially when combined with immune checkpoint blockade therapies such as anti-PD-1 antibodies[2][3]. Emm55 is used primarily in the context of cancer immunotherapy, not as a classical drug target (e.g., receptor, enzyme), but as a therapeutic antigen for immune activation. There is no indication of misspelling or incorrectness in the usage of "Emm55-derived bacterial protein" for structured data extraction.

Other names

Emm55 bacterial proteinEmm55 (S. pyogenes)M protein variant 55

Acts as an immunogenic antigen that can stimulate tumor-infiltrating T cells and activate antigen-specific immune responses Enhances immune-mediated tumor cell killing in combination with immune checkpoint inhibition