title: The high biofilm-encoding Bee locus: a second pilus gene cluster in Enterococcus faecalis?
abstract: An Enterococcus faecalis mutant strain with a reduced ability for biofilm formation and primary attachment when compared to the high biofilm-forming wild-type strain was characterized by molecular biological and proteomic approaches. A point mutation in the srt-1 gene, which encodes a sortase-type enzyme and is part of the recently described bee (biofilm enhancer in Enterococcus) gene cluster, could be identified in the mutant strain. The Srt-1 deficiency resulted in a loss of the Bee-2 protein within a high molecular weight complex in cell surface protein extracts, as determined by mass spectrometry. These findings strongly suggest a specific linkage of Bee-2 to Bee-1 and Bee-3 within a complex by Srt-1. Furthermore, the identification of specific pilin motifs conserved in surface proteins of gram-positive bacteria indicated a possible involvement of the bee genes in the formation of pili structures, and may thus play a role in enhancing biofilm formation in Enterococcus faecalis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, University of Kassel, Heinrich-Plett-Strasse 40, 34132, Kassel, Germany. susanne.schlueter@uni-kassel.de
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schlüter
authors.forename: Charles M A P
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Franz
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gesellchen
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Bertinetti
authors.forename: Friedrich W
authors.initials: FW
authors.lastname: Herberg
authors.forename: Friedrich R J
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Schmidt
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001422:Bacterial Adhesion; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D018441:Biofilms / Q000254:growth & development*; D013293:Enterococcus faecalis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D010861:Fimbriae, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D005810:Multigene Family; D017354:Point Mutation; D020543:Proteome / Q000032:analysis; D014621:Vagina / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D020543:Proteome