Genome-Wide Screens Reveal New Gene Products That Influence Genetic Competence in Streptococcus mutans.

ABSTRACT: A network of genes and at least two peptide signaling molecules tightly control when Streptococcus mutans becomes competent to take up DNA from its environment. Widespread changes in the expression of genes occur when S. mutans is presented with competence signal peptides in vitro, including the increased production of the alternative sigma factor, ComX, which activates late competence genes. Still, the way that gene products that are regulated by competence peptides influence DNA uptake and cellular physiology are not well understood. Here, we developed and employed comprehensive transposon mutagenesis of the S. mutans genome, with a screen to identify mutants that aberrantly expressed comX, coupled with transposon sequencing (Tn-seq) to gain a more thor

SUBMITTER: Shields RC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5738738 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature