Competence-Dependent Endogenous DNA Rearrangement and Uptake of Extracellular DNA Give a Natural Variant of Streptococcus mutans without Biofilm Formation

It is demonstrated that endogenous DNA rearrangement and uptake of extracellular DNA generate WIG- cells and that both are induced by the same signal transducer, the com system, which may help in understanding how S. mutans can adapt to the oral environment and may explain the evolution of S. Mutans.