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Curr Opin Microbiol

Title:		Competence for transformation: a matter of taste
Author(s):		Tortosa P; Dubnau D;
Address:		"Public Health Research Institute, New York, New York 10016, USA"
Journal Title:		Curr Opin Microbiol
Year:		1999
Volume:		2
Issue:		6
Page Number:		588 - 592
DOI:		10.1016/s1369-5274(99)00026-0
ISSN/ISBN:		1369-5274 (Print) 1369-5274 (Linking)
Abstract:		"Genetic competence in both Bacillus subtilis and Streptococcus pneumoniae, as well as virulence in Staphylococcus aureus, are regulated by quorum-sensing mechanisms that use two-component signal transduction systems to respond to extracellular peptide pheromones. Recent data indicate that in all three systems closely related strains express markedly different pheromones and polytopic membrane receptor proteins. This polymorphism may function as a sexual isolation mechanism. In B. subtilis the downstream segment of the competence regulatory pathway acts by controlling the stability of a key transcription factor. In S. pneumoniae the downstream segment involves the transcriptional activation of a minor sigma factor that is in turn responsible for the expression of late competence genes"
Keywords:		"Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial Gram-Positive Bacteria/*genetics/physiology *Transformation, Bacterial;"
Notes:		"MedlineTortosa, P Dubnau, D eng GM57720/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS/ Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S. Review England 1999/12/23 Curr Opin Microbiol. 1999 Dec; 2(6):588-92. doi: 10.1016/s1369-5274(99)00026-0"