Abstract
Streptococcus mutans is a major pathogen implicated in dental caries. Its virulence is enhanced by its ability to produce bacteriocins, called mutacins, which inhibit the growth of other Gram-positive bacteria. The goal of this study is to use a random insertional mutagenesis approach to search for genes that are associated with mutacin I production in the virulent strain UA140. A random insertional mutagenesis library consisting of 11 000 clones was constructed and screened for a mutacin-defective phenotype. Mutacin-defective clones were isolated, and their insertion sites were determined by PCR amplification or plasmid rescue followed by sequencing. A total of twenty-five unique genes were identified. These genes can be categorized into the following functional classes: two-component sensory systems, stress responses, energy metabolism and central cellular processes. Several conserved hypothetical proteins with unknown functions were also identified. These results suggest that mutacin I production is stringently controlled by diverse and complex regulatory pathways.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 3947-3955 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | Microbiology |
| Volume | 151 |
| Issue number | 12 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Dec 2005 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Microbiology
Cite this
Identification of genes associated with mutacin I production in Streptococcus mutans using random insertional mutagenesis. / Tsang, Phoebe; Merritt, Justin; Nguyen, Trang; Shi, Wenyuan; Qi, Fengxia.
In: Microbiology, Vol. 151, No. 12, 12.2005, p. 3947-3955.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Identification of genes associated with mutacin I production in Streptococcus mutans using random insertional mutagenesis
AU - Tsang, Phoebe
AU - Merritt, Justin
AU - Nguyen, Trang
AU - Shi, Wenyuan
AU - Qi, Fengxia
PY - 2005/12
Y1 - 2005/12
N2 - Streptococcus mutans is a major pathogen implicated in dental caries. Its virulence is enhanced by its ability to produce bacteriocins, called mutacins, which inhibit the growth of other Gram-positive bacteria. The goal of this study is to use a random insertional mutagenesis approach to search for genes that are associated with mutacin I production in the virulent strain UA140. A random insertional mutagenesis library consisting of 11 000 clones was constructed and screened for a mutacin-defective phenotype. Mutacin-defective clones were isolated, and their insertion sites were determined by PCR amplification or plasmid rescue followed by sequencing. A total of twenty-five unique genes were identified. These genes can be categorized into the following functional classes: two-component sensory systems, stress responses, energy metabolism and central cellular processes. Several conserved hypothetical proteins with unknown functions were also identified. These results suggest that mutacin I production is stringently controlled by diverse and complex regulatory pathways.
AB - Streptococcus mutans is a major pathogen implicated in dental caries. Its virulence is enhanced by its ability to produce bacteriocins, called mutacins, which inhibit the growth of other Gram-positive bacteria. The goal of this study is to use a random insertional mutagenesis approach to search for genes that are associated with mutacin I production in the virulent strain UA140. A random insertional mutagenesis library consisting of 11 000 clones was constructed and screened for a mutacin-defective phenotype. Mutacin-defective clones were isolated, and their insertion sites were determined by PCR amplification or plasmid rescue followed by sequencing. A total of twenty-five unique genes were identified. These genes can be categorized into the following functional classes: two-component sensory systems, stress responses, energy metabolism and central cellular processes. Several conserved hypothetical proteins with unknown functions were also identified. These results suggest that mutacin I production is stringently controlled by diverse and complex regulatory pathways.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=29244472046&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=29244472046&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1099/mic.0.28221-0
DO - 10.1099/mic.0.28221-0
M3 - Article
VL - 151
SP - 3947
EP - 3955
JO - Microbiology
JF - Microbiology
SN - 1350-0872
IS - 12
ER -