Bacterial pathogens rely on chemical signaling and environmental cues to regulate disease-
causing behavior in complex microenvironments. The human pathogen Streptococcus …

In a previous study, a quorum-sensing signaling system essential for genetic competence in
Streptococcus mutans was identified, characterized, and found to function optimally in …

Horizontal gene transfer through natural DNA transformation is an important evolutionary
mechanism among bacteria. Transformation requires that the bacteria are physiologically …

The complete genome sequence of Streptococcus mutans, a bacterial pathogen commonly
associated with human dental caries, was published in 2002. The streamlined genome (2.03 …

The human pathogens Streptococcus pneumoniae and Streptococcus mutans have both
evolved complex quorum sensing (QS) systems that regulate the production of bacteriocins …

The formation of dental caries is a complex process that ultimately leads to damage of the
tooth enamel from acids produced by microbes in attached biofilms. The bacterial …

Bacteria are considered “social” organisms able to communicate with one another using
small hormone-like molecules (pheromones) in a process called quorum-sensing (QS) …

The dental caries pathogen Streptococcus mutans is continually exposed to several types of
stress in the oral biofilm environment. Oxidative stress generated by reactive oxygen species …

Two small quorum sensing (QS) peptides regulate competence in S. mutans in a cell density
dependent manner: XIP (sigX inducing peptide) and CSP (competence stimulating peptide) …

Streptococcus mutans regulates genetic competence through a complex network that
receives inputs from a number of environmental stimuli, including two signalling peptides …