title: Mutacins from Streptococcus mutans UA159 are active against multiple streptococcal species.
abstract: Streptococcus mutans UA159, whose genome is completely sequenced, produces two nonlantibiotic mutacins, mutacin IV (encoded by nlmAB) and mutacin V (encoded by nlmC). In this study, we investigated the contribution of nlmA and nlmB to mutacin IV activity and demonstrated by performing genetic studies as well as by using semipurified molecules that, in contrast to a previous report, both of these genes are required for optimum mutacin IV activity. We also showed that mutacin IV is active against multiple Streptococcus species. In contrast, mutacin V displayed a narrower inhibitory range than mutacin IV. Our results suggest that mutacin IV and mutacin V may act synergistically to inhibit various organisms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Molecular Genetics and Immunology, University of Kansas Medical Center, 3901 Rainbow Boulevard, Kansas City, Kansas 66160, USA.
authors.forename: Mohammad Shahnoor
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Hossain
authors.forename: Indranil
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Biswas
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001430:Bacteriocins / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017353:Gene Deletion; D005816:Genetic Complementation Test; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001430:Bacteriocins; C425769:mutacin IV