High Biofilm-Encoding Bee Locus: A Second Pilus Gene Cluster in Enterococcus faecalis

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 e...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Current microbiology 2009-08, Vol.59 (2), p.206-211
Main Authors: Schlüter, Susanne, Franz, Charles M. A. P, Gesellchen, Frank, Bertinetti, Oliver, Herberg, Friedrich W, Schmidt, Friedrich R. J
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Bacteria
Bacterial Adhesion
Bacterial Proteins - analysis
Biofilms
Biofilms - growth & development
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Biotechnology
Enterococcus faecalis - chemistry
Enterococcus faecalis - genetics
Enterococcus faecalis - isolation & purification
Enterococcus faecalis - physiology
Female
Fimbriae, Bacterial - genetics
Gram-positive bacteria
Humans
Life Sciences
Mass spectrometry
Microbiology
Molecular biology
Multigene Family
Nosocomial infections
Pathogens
Point Mutation
Proteome - analysis
Proteomics
Vagina - microbiology
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Summary: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.
ISSN:0343-8651
1432-0991
DOI:10.1007/s00284-009-9422-y