Autoinducer-2-regulated genes in Streptococcus mutans UA159 and global metabolic effect of the luxS mutation.

ABSTRACT: Autoinducer 2 (AI-2) is the only species-nonspecific autoinducer known in bacteria and is produced by both gram-negative and gram-positive organisms. Consequently, it is proposed to function as a universal quorum-sensing signal for interaction between bacterial species. AI-2 is produced as the by-product of a metabolic transformation carried out by the LuxS enzyme. To separate the metabolic function of the LuxS enzyme from the signaling role of AI-2, we carried out a global transcriptome analysis of a luxS null mutant culture of Streptococcus mutans UA159, an important cariogenic bacterium and a crucial component of the dental plaque biofilm community, in comparison to a luxS null mutant culture supplemented with chemically pure 4,5-dihydroxy-2,3-pentanedione, the precursor of AI-2. The da

SUBMITTER: Sztajer H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2223724 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature