scholarly journals Concentration-dependent repression of the soluble and membrane components of the Streptococcus mutans phosphoenolpyruvate: sugar phosphotransferase system by glucose.

1989 ◽  
Vol 171 (6) ◽  
pp. 2942-2948 ◽  
Author(s):  
I R Hamilton ◽  
L Gauthier ◽  
B Desjardins ◽  
C Vadeboncoeur
2007 ◽  
Vol 190 (1) ◽  
pp. 168-178 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander J. Webb ◽  
Karen A. Homer ◽  
Arthur H. F. Hosie

ABSTRACT Streptococcus mutans has a large number of transporters apparently involved in the uptake of carbohydrates. At least two of these, the multiple sugar metabolism transporter, MsmEFGK, and the previously uncharacterized MalXFGK, are members of the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) superfamily. Mutation analysis revealed that the MsmEFGK and MalXFGK transporters are principally involved in the uptake of distinct disaccharides and/or oligosaccharides. Furthermore, the data also indicated an unusual protein interaction between the components of these two related transporters. Strains lacking msmE (which encodes a solute binding protein) can no longer utilize raffinose or stachyose but grow normally on maltodextrins in the absence of MalT, a previously characterized EIImal phosphotransferase system component. In contrast, a mutant of malX (which encodes a solute binding protein) cannot utilize maltodextrins but grows normally on raffinose or stachyose. Radioactive uptake assays confirmed that MalX, but not MsmE, is required for uptake of [U-14C]maltotriose and that MalXFGK is principally involved in the uptake of maltodextrins with as many as 7 glucose units. Surprisingly, inactivation of the corresponding ATPase components did not result in an equivalent abolition of growth: the malK mutant can grow on maltotetraose as a sole carbon source, and the msmK mutant can utilize raffinose. We propose that the ATPase domains of these ABC transporters can interact with either their own or the alternative transporter complex. Such unexpected interaction of ATPase subunits with distinct membrane components to form complete multiple ABC transporters may be widespread in bacteria.


2002 ◽  
Vol 81 (6) ◽  
pp. 380-386 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Benchabane ◽  
L.-A. Lortie ◽  
N.D. Buckley ◽  
L. Trahan ◽  
M. Frenette

Xylitol is transported by Streptococcus mutans via a constitutive phosphoenolpyruvate:fructose phosphotransferase system (PTS) composed of a IIABC protein. Spontaneous xylitol-resistant strains are depleted in constitutive fructose-PTS activity, exhibit additional phenotypes, and are associated with the caries-preventive properties of xylitol. Polymerase chain-reactions and chromosome walking were used to clone the fxp operon that codes for the constitutive fructose/xylitol-PTS. The operon contained three open reading frames: fxpA, which coded for a putative regulatory protein of the deoxyribose repressor (DeoR) family, fxpB, which coded for a 1-phosphofructokinase, and fxpC, which coded for a IIABC protein of the fructose-PTS family. Northern blot analysis revealed that these genes were co-transcribed into a 4.4-kb mRNA even in the absence of fructose. Inactivation of the fxpC gene conferred resistance to xylitol, confirming its function. The fxp operon is also present in the genomes of other xylitol-sensitive streptococci, which could explain their sensitivity to xylitol.


1973 ◽  
Vol 52 (6) ◽  
pp. 1209-1215 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles F. Schachtele ◽  
John A. Mayo

Streptococcus mutans, S sanguis, and S salivarius use a phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP)-dependent phosphotransferase system that results in phosphorylation of glucose at carbon 6. This enzyme system is not sensitive to fluoride. Glucose uptake into resting cell suspensions is sensitive to fluoride because of inhibition of intracellular PEP production. The glucose phosphotransferase system is constitutive in oral streptococci.


2001 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 166-169 ◽  
Author(s):  
Terhi Tapiainen ◽  
Tero Kontiokari ◽  
Laura Sammalkivi ◽  
Irma Ikäheimo ◽  
Markku Koskela ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Xylitol is effective in preventing acute otitis media by inhibiting the growth of Streptococcus pneumoniae. To clarify this inhibition we used fructose, which is known to block similar growth inhibition observed in Streptococcus mutans. In addition, we evaluated the efficacy of sorbitol in inhibiting the growth of pneumococci, as sorbitol is widely used for indications similar to those for which xylitol is used. The addition of 5% xylitol to the growth medium resulted in marked growth inhibition, an effect which was totally eliminated in the presence of 1, 2.5, or 5% fructose but not in the presence of 1 or 5% glucose, 1% galactose, or 1% sucrose. This finding implies that xylitol-induced inhibition of pneumococcal growth is mediated via the fructose phosphotransferase system in a way similar to that in which mutans group streptococcal growth is inhibited. The addition of sorbitol at concentrations of 1, 2.5, or 5% to the growth medium did not affect the growth of pneumococci and neither inhibited nor enhanced the xylitol-induced growth impairment. Thus, it seems that xylitol is the only commercially used sugar substitute proven to have an antimicrobial effect on pneumococci.


2021 ◽  
pp. 205-214
Author(s):  
Sili Han ◽  
Yuki Abiko ◽  
Jumpei Washio ◽  
Yufang Luo ◽  
Linglin Zhang ◽  
...  

It has been suggested that green tea-derived epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which has antimicrobial properties, might help prevent dental caries. However, the detailed properties of EGCG remain unclear. In this study, the antimicrobial properties of EGCG were evaluated by examining its bactericidal activity, its inhibitory effects against bacterial growth, acid production, acidic end-product formation, and sugar uptake (phosphoenolpyruvate-dependent phosphotransferase system, PEP-PTS activity), and its effects on bacterial aggregation, using monocultured planktonic cells of <i>Streptococcus mutans</i> and non-mutans streptococci. Coincubating <i>S. mutans</i> with EGCG (1 mg/mL) for 4 h had no bactericidal effects, while it decreased the growth and acid production of <i>S. mutans</i> by inhibiting the activity of the PEP-PTS. EGCG (2 mg/mL) caused rapid bacterial cell aggregation and had reduced the optical density of <i>S. mutans</i> cell suspension by 86.7% at pH 7.0 and 90.7% at pH 5.5 after 2 h. EGCG also reduced the acid production of non-mutans streptococci, including <i>S. sanguinis</i>, <i>S. gordonii</i>, and <i>S. salivarius</i>, and promoted the aggregation of these non-mutans streptococci. Furthermore, these antimicrobial effects of short-term EGCG treatment persisted in the presence of saliva. These results suggest that EGCG might have short-term antibacterial effects on caries-associated streptococci in the oral cavity.


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