Two separate quorum-sensing systems upregulate transcription of the same ABC transporter in Streptococcus pneumoniae.

ABSTRACT: Streptococcus pneumoniae secretes two different peptide pheromones used for intercellular communication. These peptides, which have completely unrelated primary structures, activate two separate signal transduction pathways, ComABCDE and BlpABCSRH, which regulate natural genetic transformation and bacteriocin production, respectively. Each signal transduction pathway contains a response regulator (ComE and BlpR, respectively) that activates transcription of target genes by binding to similar, but not identical, imperfect direct repeat motifs. In general the direct repeat binding sites are specific for one or the other of the two response regulators, ensuring that competence development and bacteriocin production are regulated separately. However, in the present study we show that the rate

SUBMITTER: Knutsen E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC400622 | biostudies-literature | 2004 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature