Subpopulation-specific transcriptome analysis of competence-stimulating-peptide-induced Streptococcus mutans.

ABSTRACT: Competence-stimulating-peptide (CSP)-mediated competence development in Streptococcus mutans is a transient and biphasic process, since only a subpopulation induces the expression of ComX in the presence of CSP, and the activation of the DNA uptake machinery in this fraction shuts down ~3 to 4 h postinduction. Here, we combine for the first time, to our knowledge, the bacterial flow-cytometric sorting of cells and subpopulation-specific transcriptome analysis of both the competent and noncompetent fraction of CSP-treated S. mutans cells. Sorting was guided by a ComX-green fluorescent protein (ComX-GFP) reporter, and the transcriptome analysis demonstrated the successful combination of both methods, because a strong enrichment of transcripts for comX and its downstream genes was achieved. T

SUBMITTER: Lemme A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3133041 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature