Open AccessMutacins from Streptococcus mutans UA159 Are Active against Multiple Streptococcal Species
Author(s) -
Mohammad Shahnoor Hossain,
Indranil Biswas
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
applied and environmental microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.552
H-Index - 324
eISSN - 1070-6291
pISSN - 0099-2240
DOI - 10.1128/aem.02320-10
Subject(s) - streptococcus mutans , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , streptococcus , genome , gene , genetics , bacteria
Streptococcus mutans UA159, whose genome is completely sequenced, produces two nonlantibiotic mutacins, mutacin IV (encoded bynlmAB ) and mutacin V (encoded bynlmC ). In this study, we investigated the contribution ofnlmA andnlmB to mutacin IV activity and demonstrated by performing genetic studies as well as by using semipurified molecules that, in contrast to a previous report, both of these genes are required for optimum mutacin IV activity. We also showed that mutacin IV is active against multipleStreptococcus species. In contrast, mutacin V displayed a narrower inhibitory range than mutacin IV. Our results suggest that mutacin IV and mutacin V may act synergistically to inhibit various organisms.