title: Two homologous Agr-like quorum-sensing systems cooperatively control adherence, cell morphology, and cell viability properties in Lactobacillus plantarum WCFS1.
abstract: A two-component regulatory system of Lactobacillus plantarum, encoded by genes designated lamK and lamR (hpk10 and rrp10), was studied. The lamK and lamR genes encode proteins which are highly homologous to the quorum-sensing histidine kinase LamC and the response regulator LamA, respectively. Transcription analysis of the lamKR operon and the lamBDCA operon and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of production of the LamD558 autoinducing peptide were performed for DeltalamA, DeltalamR, DeltalamA DeltalamR deletion mutants and a wild-type strain. The results suggested that lamA and lamR are cooperating genes. In addition, typical phenotypes of the DeltalamA mutant, such as reduced adherence to glass surfaces and filamentous cell morphology, were enhanced in the DeltalamA DeltalamR mutant. Microarray analysis suggested that the same cell wall polysaccharide synthesis genes, stress response-related genes, and cell wall protein-encoding genes were affected in the DeltalamA and DeltalamA DeltalamR mutants. However, the regulation ratio was more significant for the DeltalamA DeltalamR mutant, indicating the cooperative effect of LamA and LamR.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands. tfujii@kirin.co.jp
authors.forename: Toshio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fujii
authors.forename: Colin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ingham
authors.forename: Jiro
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nakayama
authors.forename: Marke
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Beerthuyzen
authors.forename: Ryoko
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kunuki
authors.forename: Douwe
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Molenaar
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sturme
authors.forename: Elaine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vaughan
authors.forename: Michiel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kleerebezem
authors.forename: Willem
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: de Vos
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001422:Bacterial Adhesion / Q000502:physiology*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002470:Cell Survival; D015536:Down-Regulation; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial / Q000502:physiology*; D048191:Lactiplantibacillus plantarum / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D053038:Quorum Sensing / Q000502:physiology*; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D015534:Trans-Activators