title: Identification of aggregation substances of Enterococcus faecalis cells after induction by sex pheromones. An immunological and ultrastructural investigation.
abstract: The sex pheromone system of Enterococcus faecalis is responsible for the clumping response of a plasmid carrying donor strain with a corresponding plasmid free recipient strain due to the production of sex pheromones by the recipient strain. The clumping response is mediated by a surface material (called aggregation substance) which is synthesized upon addition of sex pheromones to the cultures. Here we show that after induction a dense layer of "hairlike" structures is formed on the cell wall of the bacteria. These hairlike structures are responsible for the cell-cell contact which leads to the aggregation of cells. Formation of these structures was specific, only occurring after the addition of homologous sex pheromone.
authors.affiliation: Lehrstuhl für Mikrobiologie, Universität München, Federal Republic of Germany.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Galli
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wirth
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wanner
mesh_terms: D001685:Biological Factors / Q000032:analysis* / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000032:analysis; D013293:Enterococcus faecalis / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D010675:Pheromones / Q000378:metabolism*; D012724:Sex Attractants / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001685:Biological Factors; D010675:Pheromones; D012724:Sex Attractants