title: Rgg-associated SHP signaling peptides mediate cross-talk in Streptococci.
abstract: We described a quorum-sensing mechanism in the streptococci genus involving a short hydrophobic peptide (SHP), which acts as a pheromone, and a transcriptional regulator belonging to the Rgg family. The shp/rgg genes, found in nearly all streptococcal genomes and in several copies in some, have been classified into three groups. We used a genetic approach to evaluate the functionality of the SHP/Rgg quorum-sensing mechanism, encoded by three selected shp/rgg loci, in pathogenic and non-pathogenic streptococci. We characterized the mature form of each SHP pheromone by mass-spectrometry. We produced synthetic peptides corresponding to these mature forms, and used them to study functional complementation and cross-talk between these different SHP/Rgg systems. We demonstrate that a SHP pheromone of one system can influence the activity of a different system. Interestingly, this does not seem to be dependent on the SHP/Rgg group and cross-talk between pathogenic and non-pathogenic streptococci is observed.
authors.affiliation: INRA, UMR1319 MICALIS, Jouy en Josas, France ; AgroParistech, UMR MICALIS, Jouy en Josas, France. mesabba@umich.edu
authors.forename: Betty
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Fleuchot
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Guillot
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mézange
authors.forename: Colette
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Besset
authors.forename: Emilie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chambellon
authors.forename: Véronique
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Monnet
authors.forename: Rozenn
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gardan
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D010455:Peptides / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D010675:Pheromones / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D053038:Quorum Sensing / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D010455:Peptides; D010675:Pheromones