Observations of an extracellularly secreted glucosyltransferase (gtfG) sequentially proximal to and activated by an rgg gene with inverted repeats in the intergenic region of Streptococcus gordonii served as a basis for studying its homology between Streptococcus pyogenes. It was discovered that S. pyogenes also shared an rgg/ropB gene located directly next to the subject of its transcriptional regulation, in this case speB protease, with intergenic inverted repeats. Confirmation of linkage between rgg/ropB and speB secretion activation was achieved by means of ropB insertional disruption which resulted in decreased speB production.