Transcriptome analysis of Streptococcus gordonii Challis DL1 indicates a role for the biofilm-associated fruRBA operon in response to Candida albicans

摘要

Multiple levels of interkingdom signaling have been implicated in maintaining the ecological balance between and commensal streptococci to assure a state of oral health. To better understand the molecular mechanisms involved in the initial streptococcal response to the presence of that can initiate oral surface colonization and biofilm formation, hypha-forming cells were incubated with cells for 30 min to assess the streptococcal transcriptome response. A genome-wide microarray analysis and quantitative polymerase chain reaction validation of transcripts identified a number of genes, the majority of which were involved in metabolic functions that were differentially expressed in the presence of hyphae. The ,, and genes encoding the transcriptional regulator, fructose-1-phosphate kinase, and fructose-specific permease, respectively, of the phosphoenolpyruvate-dependent fructose phosphotransferase system, were consistently upregulated. An mutant in which these genes were deleted by allelic replacement formed an architecturally distinct, less robust biofilm with than did parental strain cells. Complementing the mutant with plasmid borne ,, and genes caused phenotype reversion, indicating that the genes in this operon played a role in dual-species biofilm formation. This genome-wide analysis of the transcriptional response to has identified several genes that have potential roles in interkingdom signaling and responses.