CSP-1 Competence-Stimulating Peptide-1

EMRLSKFFRDFILQRKK is competence-stimulating peptide 1 (CSP-1), a 17-residue peptide pheromone used by Streptococcus pneumoniae in quorum-sensing control of genetic competence. CSP-1 is produced from the ComC precursor and signals through the membrane histidine kinase ComD, activating the ComDE regulatory pathway and downstream competence genes. Sequence-specific CSP/ComD recognition is strain dependent, making CSP-1 a defined reagent for pneumococcal quorum-sensing and natural-transformation studies.

• Streptococcus pneumoniae quorum-sensing studies
• ComD1/ComDE signaling assays
• natural genetic transformation research
• CSP structure-activity studies

CSP signaling is receptor and strain dependent. Published structure-activity studies report substantially stronger activation of ComD1 than ComD2 by CSP-1, so results should not be generalized across pneumococcal pherotypes.

1. Structural Characterization of Competence Stimulating Peptides (CSPs)
2. Biological evaluation of native streptococcal competence stimulating peptides reveals potential crosstalk between Streptococcus mitis and Streptococcus pneumoniae and a new scaffold for the development of S. pneumoniae quorum sensing modulators