Control of Enterococcus faecalis sex pheromone cAD1 elaboration: effects of culture aeration and pAD1 plasmid-encoded determinants.
Aeration of plasmid-free Enterococcus faecalis strains resulted in an 8- to 16-fold decrease in sex pheromone cAD1 activity in culture filtrates. Levels of two unrelated pheromones, cPD1 and cAM373, were unaffected by culture aeration. Aeration also resulted in a decrease in the expression of conjugative transfer functions observed in cells containing pAD1 traB mutations, verifying a link between traB function and pheromone "shutdown." Tests with a series of pAD1 mini-plasmids indicated that the product of the traB gene was involved in, but not sufficient for, pheromone shutdown; the cooperation of one or more other gene products encoded within the pheromone response control region was required.
Weaver
K E
KE
Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, University of South Dakota, Vermillion 57069.
Clewell
D B
DB
D000332:Aerobiosis; D003227:Conjugation, Genetic; D013293:Enterococcus faecalis / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D005838:Genotype; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000235:genetics*; D010641:Phenotype; D010957:Plasmids; D015183:Restriction Mapping; D001616:beta-Galactosidase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
D009842:Oligopeptides; C043691:cAD1 bacterial sex hormone; D001616:beta-Galactosidase