Think-Pair-Share Questions

1. Some bacterial capsules are rich in sialic acid, a common component of host cell glycoprotein, that has an affinity for serum protein H, a complement regulatory protein that leads to the degradation of C3b.

Describe what significance this has in the bacterium resisting phagocytosis and why.

2. S. pyogenes produces a protease that cleaves the complement protein C5a.

Describe what significance this has in the bacterium resisting phagocytosis and why.