Fever-like temperature bursts promote competence development via an HtrA-dependent pathway in Streptococcus pneumoniae.

ABSTRACT: Streptococcus pneumoniae (the pneumococcus) is well known for its ability to develop competence for natural DNA transformation. Competence development is regulated by an autocatalytic loop driven by variations in the basal level of transcription of the comCDE and comAB operons. These genes are part of the early gene regulon that controls expression of the late competence genes known to encode the apparatus of transformation. Several stressful conditions are known to promote competence development, although the induction pathways are remain poorly understood. Here we demonstrate that transient temperature elevation induces an immediate increase in the basal expression level of the comCDE operon and early genes that, in turn, stimulates its full induction, including that of the late competen

SUBMITTER: Maziero M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10516426 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature