title: Sex pheromones and gene transfer in Enterococcus faecalis.
abstract: Cell-density-dependent regulatory controls have been recognized in recent years to play major roles with regard to many microorganisms. In gram-negative bacteria very often N-acyl-homoserine lactones act as 'quorum-sensing' regulators, whilst gram-positive bacteria mainly use peptides to monitor their cell density. The so-called sex pheromone system of Enterococcus faecalis is just one example of the latter type of regulation. The system is a complex one; in this communication, I will discuss in particular the potential role of the peptides to also act as virulence factors.
authors.affiliation: Mikrobiologie-NWF III, Regensburg, Germany. Reinhard.Wirth@biologie.uni-regensburg.de
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wirth
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D013293:Enterococcus faecalis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D022761:Gene Transfer, Horizontal; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D051379:Mice; D012724:Sex Attractants / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D012724:Sex Attractants; C065937:aggregation substance, Enterococcus faecalis