Effects of Glucose on fsr-Mediated Biofilm Formation in Enterococcus faecalis.
Pillai, Satish K. 1,2; Sakoulas, George 3; Eliopoulos, George M. 1,2; Moellering, Robert C. 1,2; Murray, Barbara E. 4; Inouye, Roger T. 1,2
[Article] Journal of Infectious Diseases. 190(5):967-970, September 1, 2004.

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: Biofilm production is frequently dependent on such environmental factors as cell density and glucose concentration. The Enterococcus faecalis quorum-sensing locus (fsr) increases enterococcal virulence in multiple animal models. To date, fsr has been shown to regulate the transcription of 2 downstream protease genes.We demonstrate that the effect of fsr mutations on biofilm formation, as well as the fsr-mediated catabolite control of biofilm, is mediated via these proteases. The present study provides additional insight into the mechanisms used by E. faecalis to establish nosocomial infection.

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