Kaur Gurmeet, Rajesh Shrinidhi, Princy S Adline
Quorum Sensing Laboratory, Centre for Research on Infectious Diseases (CRID), School of Chemical and Biotechnology, SASTRA University, Thanjavur, 613 402 Tamil Nadu India.
Indian J Microbiol. 2015 Dec;55(4):349-56. doi: 10.1007/s12088-015-0534-8. Epub 2015 May 12.
Streptococcus mutans, a Gram positive facultative anaerobe, is one among the approximately seven hundred bacterial species to exist in human buccal cavity and cause dental caries. Quorum sensing (QS) is a cell-density dependent communication process that respond to the inter/intra-species signals and elicit responses to show behavioral changes in the bacteria to an aggressive forms. In accordance to this phenomenon, the S. mutans also harbors a Competing Stimulating Peptide (CSP)-mediated quorum sensing, ComCDE (Two-component regulatory system) to regulate several virulence-associated traits that includes the formation of the oral biofilm (dental plaque), genetic competence and acidogenicity. The QS-mediated response of S. mutans adherence on tooth surface (dental plaque) imparts antibiotic resistance to the bacterium and further progresses to lead a chronic state, known as periodontitis. In recent years, the oral streptococci, S. mutans are not only recognized for its cariogenic potential but also well known to worsen the infective endocarditis due to its inherent ability to colonize and form biofilm on heart valves. The review significantly appreciate the increasing complexity of the CSP-mediated quorum-sensing pathway with a special emphasis to identify the plausible drug targets within the system for the development of anti-quorum drugs to control biofilm formation and associated risks.
变形链球菌是一种革兰氏阳性兼性厌氧菌，是人类口腔中大约700种细菌中的一种，可导致龋齿。群体感应（QS）是一种细胞密度依赖性的通讯过程，它对种间/种内信号作出反应，并引发反应，使细菌表现出向侵袭性形式的行为变化。根据这一现象，变形链球菌也具有一种由竞争性刺激肽（CSP）介导的群体感应，即ComCDE（双组分调节系统），以调节几种与毒力相关的特性，包括口腔生物膜（牙菌斑）的形成、遗传感受态和产酸性。变形链球菌在牙齿表面（牙菌斑）上的群体感应介导的黏附反应赋予了该细菌抗生素抗性，并进一步发展为一种慢性状态，即牙周炎。近年来，口腔链球菌，尤其是变形链球菌，不仅因其致龋潜力而受到认可，还因其在心脏瓣膜上定植和形成生物膜的固有能力而众所周知会加重感染性心内膜炎。这篇综述高度评价了CSP介导的群体感应途径日益增加的复杂性，并特别强调在该系统内确定合理的药物靶点，以开发抗群体感应药物来控制生物膜形成及相关风险。
