Protein serine/threonine kinase StkP positively controls virulence and competence in Streptococcus pneumoniae.
In the Streptococcus pneumoniae genome, stkP, encoding a membrane-associated serine/threonine kinase, is not redundant (L. Novakova, S. Romao, J. Echenique, P. Branny, and M.-C. Trombe, unpublished results). The data presented here demonstrate that StkP belongs to the signaling network involved in competence triggering in vitro and lung infection and bloodstream invasion in vivo. In competence, functional StkP is required for activation of comCDE upstream of the autoregulated ring orchestrated by the competence-stimulating peptide. This is the first description of positive regulation of comCDE transcription in balance with its repression by CiaRH.
Echenique
Jose
J
Laboratoire d'Interactions et Signalisation Cellulaire: Relation Hôte-Pathogène, Institut Louis Bugnard, Centre Hospitalo Universitaire de Rangueil, Université Paul Sabatier, 31403 Toulouse Cedex, France.
Kadioglu
Aras
A
Romao
Susana
S
Andrew
Peter W
PW
Trombe
Marie-Claude
MC
D000818:Animals; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D001769:Blood / Q000382:microbiology; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000201:enzymology; D005260:Female; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D008168:Lung / Q000382:microbiology; D051379:Mice; D009097:Multienzyme Complexes / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011018:Pneumonia, Pneumococcal / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D014169:Transformation, Bacterial; D014774:Virulence
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; C103179:ComE protein, Streptococcus pneumoniae; D009097:Multienzyme Complexes; C061650:comC protein, Bacillus subtilis; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases