title: Identification of a protein that inactivates the competence-stimulating peptide of Streptococcus pneumoniae.
abstract: Competence for genetic transformation of Streptococcus pneumoniae is a transient physiological property inducible by a competence-stimulating peptide (CSP). A 68-kDa CSP-inactivating protein was previously obtained following lithium chloride (LiCl) extraction. By the same protocol, a CSP-inactivating protein was purified and identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry as an endopeptidase, PepO. Analysis of a pepO mutant provided no support for the hypothesis that PepO participates in competence regulation. To reconcile in vitro and in vivo data, we suggest that LiCl treatment results in the release of intracellular molecules, including PepO.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Microbiologie et Génétique Moléculaire, UMR 5100 CNRS-Université Paul Sabatier, 31062 Toulouse Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Mathieu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bergé
authors.forename: Hanno
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Langen
authors.forename: Jean-Pierre
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Claverys
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Martin
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D010450:Endopeptidases / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D018021:Lithium Chloride; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014169:Transformation, Bacterial
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; C423628:competence factor, Streptococcus; D010450:Endopeptidases; C445310:PepO protein, Streptococcus pneumoniae; D018021:Lithium Chloride