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Lactococcus lactis produces short‐chain quinones that cross‐feed Group B Streptococcus to activate respiration growth
Author(s) -
Rezaïki Lahcen,
Lamberet Gilles,
Derré Aurélie,
Gruss Alexandra,
Gaudu Philippe
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
molecular microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.857
H-Index - 247
eISSN - 1365-2958
pISSN - 0950-382X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2958.2007.06083.x
Subject(s) - lactococcus lactis , biology , ccpa , biochemistry , respiration , catabolite repression , extracellular , microbiology and biotechnology , cellular respiration , fermentation , respiratory chain , bacteria , mutant , mitochondrion , gene , genetics , botany , lactic acid
Summary Quinones are essential components of the respiration chain that shuttle electrons between oxidoreductases. We characterized the quinones synthesized by Lactococcus lactis , a fermenting bacterium that activates aerobic respiration when a haem source is provided. Two distinct subgroups were characterized: Menaquinones (MK) MK‐8 to MK‐10, considered as hallmarks of L. lactis , are produced throughout growth. MK‐3 and demethylMK‐3 [(D)MK‐3] are newly identified and are present only late in growth. Production of (D)MK‐3 was conditional on the carbon sugar and on the presence of carbon catabolite regulator gene ccpA . Electron flux driven by both (D)MK fractions was shared between the quinol oxidase and extracellular acceptors O 2 , iron and, with remarkable efficiency, copper. Purified (D)MK‐3, but not MK‐8–10, complemented a menB defect in L. lactis . We previously showed that a respiratory metabolism is activated in Group B Streptococcus (GBS) by exogenous haem and MK, and that this activity is implicated in virulence. Here we show that growing lactococci donate (D)MK to GBS to activate respiration and stimulate growth of this opportunist pathogen. We propose that conditions favouring (D)MK production in dense microbial ecosystems, as present in the intestinal tract, could favour implantation of (D)MK‐scavengers like GBS within the complex.