Intra- and interspecies signaling between Streptococcus salivarius and Streptococcus pyogenes mediated by SalA and SalA1 lantibiotic peptides.

ABSTRACT: Streptococcus salivarius 20P3 produces a 22-amino-acid residue lantibiotic, designated salivaricin A (SalA), that inhibits the growth of a range of streptococci, including all strains of Streptococcus pyogenes. Lantibiotic production is associated with the sal genetic locus comprising salA, the lantibiotic structural gene; salBCTX genes encoding peptide modification and export machinery proteins; and salYKR genes encoding a putative immunity protein and two-component sensor-regulator system. Insertional inactivation of salB in S. salivarius 20P3 resulted in abrogation of SalA peptide production, of immunity to SalA, and of salA transcription. Addition of exogenous SalA peptide to salB mutant cultures induced dose-dependent expression of salA mRNA (0.2 kb), demonstrating that SalA productio

SUBMITTER: Upton M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC95275 | biostudies-literature | 2001 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature