Streptococcus mutans SpxA2 relays the signal of cell envelope stress from LiaR to effectors that maintain cell wall and membrane homeostasis.

ABSTRACT: Streptococcus mutans is a major etiologic agent of dental caries, which is the most common chronic infectious disease worldwide. S. mutans is particularly adept at causing caries due to its exceptional capacity to form biofilms and its ability to survive acidic conditions that arrest acid production and growth in many more benign members of the oral microbiota. Two mechanisms utilized by S. mutans to tolerate acid are: modulation of the membrane fatty acid content and utilization of the F₁ F₀ -ATPase to pump protons out of the cytosol. In this study, the role of the spxA2 transcriptional regulator in these two pathways, and overall cell envelope homeostasis, was examined. Loss of spxA2 resulted in an increase in the proportion of saturated fatty acids in the S. mutans

SUBMITTER: Baker JL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7202993 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature