COBRE: UOK HSC: P 3: GENETIC & BIOCHEMICAL STUDIES OF STREP MUTANS BIOFILM FORMA

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Characterize the role of IrvA in stress response regulation. IrvA is a novel, stress induced regulator of Streptococcus mutans. It appears to be a central component of a system used to suppress virulence gene expression under situations of severe stress. To further characterize this system, we plan to determine the genes under the direct control of IrvA and the pathway responsible for irvA induction. Genetic and biochemical studies of competence gene regulation by the hdrRM operon of Streptococcus mutans. Recently, we identified a two-gene operon that is induced by conditions of extremely high cell density and is required for the functioning of several density-dependent virulence factors, such as natural competence. We plan to determine the mechanism of competence gene regulation. In addition, the two genes appear to form a novel type of regulatory system. Therefore, we plan to investigate its mechanism of signal transduction.