Fig. 6: Adhesion and invasion of GAS in placebo and SPy_2191-vaccinated mice.

a Graphical representation of how GAS infects a host by first adhering then colonizing on the host cell surface, later invades and disseminates inside the cell. b In SPy_2191-vaccinated mice, GAS infection was bypassed plausibly due to the presence of bactericidal antibodies that caused opsonophagocytosis, thus blocking adhesion of bacteria on the host cell surface and subsequently hindered colonization and invasion of GAS within the host. Further a Th1-biased immune response and immuno-stimulation triggered by SPy_2191 helps the mice to survive against GAS challenge’.