Competence for transformation: a matter of taste

Citation
P. Tortosa et D. Dubnau, Competence for transformation: a matter of taste, CURR OPIN M, 2(6), 1999, pp. 588-592
Citations number
41
Categorie Soggetti
Biotecnology & Applied Microbiology",Microbiology
Journal title
CURRENT OPINION IN MICROBIOLOGY
ISSN journal
13695274 → ACNP
Volume
2
Issue
6
Year of publication
1999
Pages
588 - 592
Database
ISI
SICI code
1369-5274(199912)2:6<588:CFTAMO>2.0.ZU;2-T
Abstract
Genetic competence in both Bacillus subtilis and Streptococcus pneumoniae, as well as virulence in Staphylococcus aureus, are regulated by quorum-sens ing mechanisms that use two-component signal transduction systems to respon d to extracellular peptide pheromones. Recent data indicate that in all thr ee systems closely related strains express markedly different pheromones an d polytopic membrane receptor proteins. This polymorphism may function as a sexual isolation mechanims, In B. subtilis the downstream segment of the c ompetence regulatory pathway acts by controlling the stability of a key tra nscription factor, In S. pneumoniae the downstream segment involves the tra nscriptional activation of a minor sigma factor that is in turn responsible for the expression of late competence genes.