Intercellular Communication via the comX-Inducing Peptide (XIP) of Streptococcus mutans.

ABSTRACT: Gram-positive bacteria utilize exported peptides to coordinate genetic and physiological processes required for biofilm formation, stress responses, and ecological competitiveness. One example is activation of natural genetic competence by ComR and the comX -inducing peptide (XIP) in Streptococcus mutans Although the competence pathway can be activated by the addition of synthetic XIP in defined medium, the hypothesis that XIP is able to function as an intercellular signaling molecule has not been rigorously tested. Coculture model systems were developed that included a "sender" strain that overexpressed the XIP precursor (ComS) and a "responder" strain harboring a green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter fused to a ComR-activated gene (comX) promoter. The ability of the sender strain to p

SUBMITTER: Kaspar J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5626963 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature