Streptococcus mutans is a causative agent of dental caries. It's ability to inflict damage is strongly linked to the production of long chain glucose polymers (glucans) derived from dietary sucrose which allow the bacteria possesses a family of genes that express enzymes called glucosyltransferases (GTF). There are three GTFs in S. mutans. They share 50 percent sequence identity and are encoded by the homologous gtfB, gtfC and gtfD genes. The gtfB and gtfC gene are found in direct repeat with a mere 198 base paries separation between coding sequences. Although mutations in either gtfB or gtfC produce a colonizing deficient phenotype, little is known about their regulation. Until recently, the only effector known to regulate these genes was sucrose, the substrate of the GTFs. Supplemented sucrose transiently induces a 3-fold increase in a gtfB transcriptional fusion. Now we have demonstrated that both gtfB and gtfC show coordinated growth phase- dependent expression. For both genes, expression peaks prior to exponential growth and falls over 100-fold by early stationary phase. In this proposal, we intend to further study this phenomenon including identifying critical cis and trans acting elements and through mutagenesis determine how these elements affect gtf gene expression. Since these gtf genes are involved in the colonization process, the genetic elements that are found here will need to be examined in terms of the bacteria's pathogenic mechanisms.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Dental & Craniofacial Research (NIDCR)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01DE013965-04
Application #
6761935
Study Section
Oral Biology and Medicine Subcommittee 1 (OBM)
Program Officer
Lunsford, Dwayne
Project Start
2001-08-01
Project End
2006-06-30
Budget Start
2004-07-01
Budget End
2005-06-30
Support Year
4
Fiscal Year
2004
Total Cost
$264,469
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Southern California
Department
Other Basic Sciences
Type
Schools of Dentistry
DUNS #
072933393
City
Los Angeles
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
90089
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