HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via CrossRef Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Romao, S. Articles by Trombe, M.-C. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Romao, S. Articles by Trombe, M.-C. Agricola Articles by Romao, S. Articles by Trombe, M.-C.

LuxS impacts on LytA-dependent autolysis and on competence in Streptococcus pneumoniae

¹ Interactions et Signalisation Cellulaires: Relation Hôte-Pathogène, EA3036, IFR31, CHU Rangueil, Université Paul Sabatier, 31403 Toulouse, France
² Laboratorio di Microbiologia Molecolare e Biotecnologia, Dipartimento di Biologia Molecolare, Università di Siena, Siena, Italy
³ UOC Batteriologia, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Senese, Siena, Italy

Correspondence
Marie-Claude Trombe
trombe{at}cict.fr

The ubiquitous protein LuxS with S-ribosylhomocysteinase activity is involved in S-adenosyl methionine detoxification, C-1 unit recycling and the production of autoinducers that allow the cell to sense and respond to cell density. Independent reports describe the impact of LuxS deficiency on Streptococcus pneumoniae virulence in the mouse. In vitro, LuxS deficiency confers discrete phenotypes. A combined approach using genetic dissection and mixed-culture experiments allowed the involvement of LuxS in the developmental physiology of S. pneumoniae to be investigated. Functional LuxS was found to be related on the one hand to down-regulation of competence, and on the other hand to attenuation of autolysis in cultures entering stationary phase. The competence phenotype of luxS mutant bacteria was complemented by media conditioned by competence-defective ComAB0 bacteria, but not by BSA. The autolytic phenotype was complemented by BSA, but not by conditioned supernatants. It is suggested that the impact of LuxS on competence, but not on autolysis, involves cell–cell communication. The phenotype of luxS mutant strains reveals a hierarchy in the competence regulatory networks of S. pneumoniae.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				P. D. Rogers, T. T. Liu, K. S. Barker, G. M. Hilliard, B. K. English, J. Thornton, E. Swiatlo, and L. S. McDaniel Gene expression profiling of the response of Streptococcus pneumoniae to penicillin J. Antimicrob. Chemother., April 1, 2007; 59(4): 616 - 626. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S.-J. Ahn and R. A. Burne The atlA Operon of Streptococcus mutans: Role in Autolysin Maturation and Cell Surface Biogenesis. J. Bacteriol., October 1, 2006; 188(19): 6877 - 6888. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Finn and H. F. Jenkinson The pneumococcus: 'old man's friend' and children's foe Microbiology, February 1, 2006; 152(2): 281 - 283. [Full Text] [PDF]