The biofilm inhibitor carolacton disturbs membrane integrity and cell division of Streptococcus mutans through the serine/threonine protein kinase PknB.

ABSTRACT: Carolacton, a secondary metabolite isolated from the myxobacterium Sorangium cellulosum, disturbs Streptococcus mutans biofilm viability at nanomolar concentrations. Here we show that carolacton causes leakage of cytoplasmic content (DNA and proteins) in growing cells at low pH and provide quantitative data on the membrane damage. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the biofilm-specific activity of carolacton is due to the strong acidification occurring during biofilm growth. The chemical conversion of the ketocarbonic function of the molecule to a carolacton methylester did not impact its activity, indicating that carolacton is not functionally activated at low pH by a change of its net charge. A comparative time series microarray analysis identified the VicKRX and ComDE two-component signal

SUBMITTER: Reck M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3187222 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature