| Title: | Evolution of the Enterococcus faecalis sex pheromone system |
| Author(s): | Wirth R; Hirt H; Muscholl A; |
| Address: | "Lehrstuhl fur Mikrobiologie-NWFIII, Regensburg, Germany" |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 0301-5149 (Print) 0301-5149 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "In this article we present data that form the basis of a model of the evolution of the unique Enterococcus faecalis sex pheromone system. The data indicate tht sex pheromone plasmid-encoded genes/functions, which are essential for this highly efficient plasmid collection system, are common among all sex pheromone plasmids; pAM373 seems to be only distantly related to all other pheromone plasmids. These genes appear to be restricted to sex pheromone plasmids (but see below for possible exceptions). However, the ability to produce sex pheromone-like peptides is not restricted to E. faecalis. We argue that the sex pheromone system of E. faecalis developed only once--but into at least 19 different variants--to form a system which is highly specific for this bacterium and is related to virulence" |
| Keywords: | "Adhesins, Bacterial/biosynthesis/genetics Bacterial Proteins/biosynthesis/genetics *Biological Evolution Conjugation, Genetic Enterococcus faecalis/*genetics/physiology Genes, Bacterial Models, Genetic Nucleic Acid Hybridization Plasmids/genetics Sex Attr;" |
| Notes: | "MedlineWirth, R Hirt, H Muscholl, A eng Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Switzerland 1995/01/01 Dev Biol Stand. 1995; 85:39-45" |
