Functional analysis of luxS in Staphylococcus aureus reveals a role in metabolism but not quorum sensing.

ABSTRACT: The function of AI-2 in many bacteria and the physiological role of LuxS, the enzyme responsible for its production, remain matters of debate. Here, we show that in Staphylococcus aureus the luxS gene forms a monocistronic transcriptional unit under the control of a sigma(70)-dependent promoter. The gene was transcribed throughout growth under a variety of conditions, including intracellular growth in MAC-T cells. AI-2 was produced in rich media under aerobic and anaerobic conditions, peaking during the transition to stationary phase, but was hardly detectable in a sulfur-limited defined medium. In the presence of glucose or under anaerobic conditions, cultures retained considerable AI-2 activity after entry into stationary phase. Inactivation of luxS in various S. aureus strains did not a

SUBMITTER: Doherty N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1446992 | biostudies-literature | 2006 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature