mucG, mucH, and mucI Modulate Production of Mutanocyclin and Reutericyclins in Streptococcus mutans B04Sm5

Abstract

S. mutans must be able to outcompete neighboring organisms in its ecological niche in order to cause dental caries. S. mutans B04Sm5 inhibited the growth of neighboring commensal streptococci through production of reutericyclins via the muc biosynthetic gene cluster. In this study, an S. mutans pangenome database and updated phylogenetic tree were generated that will serve as valuable resources for the S. mutans research community and that provide insights into the carriage and evolution of S. mutans muc. The MucG and MucH regulators, and the MucI transporter, were shown to modulate production of reutericyclins and mutanocyclin.