Computer-aided analysis of the affected genes also revealed the presence of inverted repeats highly similar

to the conserved Rex-binding site, -TTGTGAAW4TTCACAA-, in the promoter regions of most, but not all genes identified by microarray (Schau et al., 2004; Gyan et al., 2006; Pagels et al., 2010). Efforts to investigate whether Rex can bind to the promoter of the targeted genes and how NAD+/NADH balances affect Rex-regulated gene expression are ongoing It is apparent that Rex-deficiency did not have any significant effect on the morphology and growth rate of the deficient mutant when grown planktonically under the conditions studied (Fig. 1a). However, the deficient Copanlisib ic50 mutant did show a decreased ability to develop biofilms on a surface, and it formed biofilms with an altered structure (Figs 2 and 3). These defects could be in part attributed to the altered expression of genes central to carbohydrate fermentation and energy metabolism (e.g. pflC and pdhAB), NAD+/NADH recycling (e.g. adhE, adhAB and frdC) and oxidative homeostasis (mleSP and gshR) (Table 2 and Table S1). One particularly interesting observation of the Rex-deficient mutant is that while it had a decreased ability to form biofilms, it also appeared to generate more glucans (Figs 2 and 3). Streptococcus mutans possesses at least three glucosyltransferases (GtfB, -C and -D) and one fructosyltransferase Thiazovivin nmr (Ftf).

The enzymes use sucrose as the primary substrate, assembling glucans and fructans from the glucose- and fructose-moiety of sucrose, respectively (Burne, 1998). At a significant level of P<0.01, gtfC was also identified by DNA microarray analysis to be Tenofovir upregulated by 1.56-fold in TW239, but not gtfB, gtfD and ftf (data not shown). When analyzed by RealTime-PCR, the expression of gtfC was found to be increased by >13-fold in TW239 (Table 2), but again no significant differences were detected in the expression of either gtfB, gtfD or ftf. Similar observations were also made recently in S. mutans grown with aeration (Ahn et al., 2007). Consistent with the severely impaired ability to form biofilms,

S. mutans grown in the presence of oxygen showed major changes in the amount and localization of the Gtf enzymes. In particular, the cell surface-associated GtfC was found by Western blotting to be dramatically increased in cells grown aerobically, as compared with those prepared under anaerobic conditions. However, it remains to be investigated whether the localization of any of the Gtf enzymes were altered in S. mutans as a result of Rex-deficiency. Glucosyltransferase GtfB is known to produce α1,3-linked, water-insoluble glucans that play a central role in S. mutans adherence and accumulation on surfaces, whereas the glucan products of GtfC contain α1,3-linked, water-insoluble and a substantial amount of α1,6-linked water-soluble glucans (Bowen & Koo, 2011).