This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Yonezawa, H. Articles by Kuramitsu, H. K. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Yonezawa, H. Articles by Kuramitsu, H. K.

Genetic Analysis of a Unique Bacteriocin, Smb, Produced by Streptococcus mutans GS5

Hideo Yonezawa and Howard K. Kuramitsu^*

Department of Oral Biology, State University of New York, Buffalo, New York

Received 3 June 2004/ Returned for modification 8 September 2004/ Accepted 10 October 2004

A dipeptide lantibiotic, named Smb, in Streptococcus mutans GS5 was characterized by molecular genetic approaches. The Smb biosynthesis gene locus is encoded by a 9.5-kb region of chromosomal DNA and consists of seven genes in the order smbM1, -T, -F, -M2, -G, -A, -B. This operon is not present in some other strains of S. mutans, including strain UA159. The genes encoding Smb were identified as smbA and smbB. Inactivation of smbM1, smbA, or smbB attenuated the inhibition of the growth of the indicator strain RP66, confirming an essential role for these genes in Smb expression. Mature Smb likely consists of the 30-amino-acid SmbA together with the 32-amino-acid SmbB. SmbA exhibited similarity with the mature lantibiotic lacticinA2 from Lactococcus lactis, while SmbB was similar to the mersacidin-like peptides from Bacillus halodurans and L. lactis. We also demonstrated that Smb expression is induced by the competence-stimulating peptide (CSP) and that a com box-like sequence is located in the smb promoter region. These results suggest that Smb belongs to the class I bacteriocin family, and its expression is dependent on CSP-induced quorum sensing.

Present address: Department of Microbiology, Nihon University, School of Dentistry at Matsudo, Matsudo, Japan.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Tong, H., Chen, W., Shi, W., Qi, F., Dong, X. (2008). SO-LAAO, a Novel L-Amino Acid Oxidase That Enables Streptococcus oligofermentans To Outcompete Streptococcus mutans by Generating H2O2 from Peptone. J. Bacteriol. 190: 4716-4721 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Kamiya, R. U., Hofling, J. F., Goncalves, R. B. (2008). Frequency and expression of mutacin biosynthesis genes in isolates of Streptococcus mutans with different mutacin-producing phenotypes. J Med Microbiol 57: 626-635 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Kreth, J., Hung, D. C. I., Merritt, J., Perry, J., Zhu, L., Goodman, S. D., Cvitkovitch, D. G., Shi, W., Qi, F. (2007). The response regulator ComE in Streptococcus mutans functions both as a transcription activator of mutacin production and repressor of CSP biosynthesis. Microbiology 153: 1799-1807 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Nes, I. F., Diep, D. B., Holo, H. (2007). Bacteriocin Diversity in Streptococcus and Enterococcus. J. Bacteriol. 189: 1189-1198 [Full Text]  
• Matsumoto-Nakano, M., Kuramitsu, H. K. (2006). Role of Bacteriocin Immunity Proteins in the Antimicrobial Sensitivity of Streptococcus mutans. J. Bacteriol. 188: 8095-8102 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• McClerren, A. L., Cooper, L. E., Quan, C., Thomas, P. M., Kelleher, N. L., van der Donk, W. A. (2006). Discovery and in vitro biosynthesis of haloduracin, a two-component lantibiotic. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 103: 17243-17248 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Wang, B., Kuramitsu, H. K. (2006). A Pleiotropic Regulator, Frp, Affects Exopolysaccharide Synthesis, Biofilm Formation, and Competence Development in Streptococcus mutans.. Infect. Immun. 74: 4581-4589 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Waterhouse, J. C., Russell, R. R. B. (2006). Dispensable genes and foreign DNA in Streptococcus mutans. Microbiology 152: 1777-1788 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• van der Ploeg, J. R. (2005). Regulation of Bacteriocin Production in Streptococcus mutans by the Quorum-Sensing System Required for Development of Genetic Competence. J. Bacteriol. 187: 3980-3989 [Abstract] [Full Text]