Quorum sensing is a bacterial mechanism for regulating gene expression in response to
changes in population density. Many bacteria are capable of acyl-homoserine lactone …

Streptococcus mutans is implicated as a major etiological agent in human dental caries, and
one of the important virulence properties of this organism is its ability to form biofilms (dental …

ABSTRACT Autoinducer 2 (AI-2) is the only species-nonspecific autoinducer known in
bacteria and is produced by both gram-negative and gram-positive organisms …

The LuxS protein is required for the biosynthesis of the type 2 autoinducer (AI-2), which is
involved in quorum sensing in a wide range of bacterial species. We have determined the …

LuxS-mediated quorum sensing has recently been shown to regulate important physiologic
functions and virulence in a variety of bacteria. In this study, the role of luxS of Streptococcus …

Bacteria utilize quorum-sensing communication to organize their behavior by monitoring the
concentration of bacterial signals, referred to as autoinducers (AIs). The widespread …

Streptococcus pneumoniae is the leading cause of death in children worldwide and forms
highly organized biofilms in the nasopharynx, lungs, and middle ear mucosa. The luxS …

Nosocomial infections caused by Staphylococcus epidermidis are characterized by biofilm
formation on implanted medical devices. Quorum-sensing regulation plays a major role in …

The function of AI-2 in many bacteria and the physiological role of LuxS, the enzyme
responsible for its production, remain matters of debate. Here, we show that in …

Streptococcus mutans is a biofilm-forming bacterium that is adapted to tolerate rapid and
dramatic fluctuations in nutrient availability, carbohydrate source, and pH in its natural …