SMU.746-SMU.747, a putative membrane permease complex, is involved in aciduricity, acidogenesis, and biofilm formation in Streptococcus mutans.

ABSTRACT: Dental caries induced by Streptococcus mutans is one of the most prevalent chronic infectious diseases worldwide. The pathogenicity of S. mutans relies on the bacterium's ability to colonize tooth surfaces and survive a strongly acidic environment. We performed an ISS1 transposon mutagenesis to screen for acid-sensitive mutants of S. mutans and identified an SMU.746-SMU.747 gene cluster that is needed for aciduricity. SMU.746 and SMU.747 appear to be organized in an operon and encode a putative membrane-associated permease. SMU.746- and SMU.747-deficient mutants showed a reduced ability to grow in acidified medium. However, the short-term or long-term acid survival capacity and F1F0 ATPase activity remained unaffected in the mutants. Furthermore, deletion of both genes did not change cell

SUBMITTER: Krol JE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3911122 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature