title: Involvement of sortase anchoring of cell wall proteins in biofilm formation by Streptococcus mutans.
abstract: Streptococcus mutans is one of the best-known biofilm-forming organisms associated with humans. We investigated the role of the sortase gene (srtA) in monospecies biofilm formation and observed that inactivation of srtA caused a decrease in biofilm formation. Genes encoding three putative sortase-dependent proteins were also found to be up-regulated in biofilms versus planktonic cells and mutations in these genes resulted in reduced biofilm biomass.
authors.affiliation: Oral Microbiology, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Toronto, 124 Edward Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 1G6.
authors.forename: Céline M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Lévesque
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Voronejskaia
authors.forename: Yi-Chen Cathy
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Richard W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Mair
authors.forename: Richard P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Ellen
authors.forename: Dennis G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Cvitkovitch
mesh_terms: D020816:Amino Acid Motifs; D019881:Aminoacyltransferases / Q000502:physiology*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D018441:Biofilms / Q000254:growth & development*; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000378:metabolism*; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases; D037102:Lectins; D013295:Streptococcus mutans / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D037102:Lectins; C037937:glucan-binding proteins; D019881:Aminoacyltransferases; C120542:sortase A; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases