title: Quorum sensing and biofilm formation in Streptococcal infections.
abstract: Members of the bacterial genus Streptococcus are responsible for causing a wide variety of infections in humans. Many Streptococci use quorum-sensing systems to regulate several physiological properties, including the ability to incorporate foreign DNA, tolerate acid, form biofilms, and become virulent. These quorum-sensing systems are primarily made of small soluble signal peptides that are detected by neighboring cells via a histidine kinase/response regulator pair.
authors.affiliation: Room 449A, Dental Research Institute, University of Toronto, 124 Edward Street, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1G6, Canada. dennis.cvitkovitch@utoronto.ca
authors.forename: Dennis G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Cvitkovitch
authors.forename: Yung-Hua
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Richard P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Ellen
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D001430:Bacteriocins / Q000494:pharmacology; D018441:Biofilms; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000382:microbiology; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000209:etiology*; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000472:pathogenicity* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001430:Bacteriocins; C423628:competence factor, Streptococcus