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Journal of Bacteriology, May 2009, p. 2973-2984, Vol. 191, No. 9
0021-9193/09/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JB.01563-08
Copyright © 2009, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

The LiaFSR System Regulates the Cell Envelope Stress Response in Streptococcus mutans ^,

Prashanth Suntharalingam, M. D. Senadheera, Richard W. Mair, Céline M. Lévesque, and Dennis G. Cvitkovitch^*

Dental Research Institute, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1G6, Canada

Received 4 November 2008/ Accepted 13 February 2009

Maintaining cell envelope integrity is critical for bacterial survival, including bacteria living in a complex and dynamic environment such as the human oral cavity. Streptococcus mutans, a major etiological agent of dental caries, uses two-component signal transduction systems (TCSTSs) to monitor and respond to various environmental stimuli. Previous studies have shown that the LiaSR TCSTS in S. mutans regulates virulence traits such as acid tolerance and biofilm formation. Although not examined in streptococci, homologs of LiaSR are widely disseminated in Firmicutes and function as part of the cell envelope stress response network. We describe here liaSR and its upstream liaF gene in the cell envelope stress tolerance of S. mutans strain UA159. Transcriptional analysis established liaSR as part of the pentacistronic liaFSR-ppiB-pnpB operon. A survey of cell envelope antimicrobials revealed that mutants deficient in one or all of the liaFSR genes were susceptible to Lipid II cycle interfering antibiotics and to chemicals that perturbed the cell membrane integrity. These compounds induced liaR transcription in a concentration-dependent manner. Notably, under bacitracin stress conditions, the LiaFSR signaling system was shown to induce transcription of several genes involved in membrane protein synthesis, peptidoglycan biosynthesis, envelope chaperone/proteases, and transcriptional regulators. In the absence of an inducer such as bacitracin, LiaF repressed LiaR-regulated expression, whereas supplementing cultures with bacitracin resulted in derepression of liaSR. While LiaF appears to be an integral component of the LiaSR signaling cascade, taken collectively, we report a novel role for LiaFSR in sensing cell envelope stress and preserving envelope integrity in S. mutans.

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* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Dental Research Institute, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Toronto, 124 Edward St., Toronto, Ontario M5G 1G6, Canada. Phone: (416) 979-4917, x4592. Fax: (416) 979-4936. E-mail: d.cvitkovitch{at}dentistry.utoronto.ca

Published ahead of print on 27 February 2009.

Supplemental material for this article may be found at http://jb.asm.org/.

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Journal of Bacteriology, May 2009, p. 2973-2984, Vol. 191, No. 9
0021-9193/09/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JB.01563-08
Copyright © 2009, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

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