Staphylococcus aureus
Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyFinding of Agr Phase Variants in Staphylococcus aureusStaphylococcus aureus is responsible for a broad range of infections. This pathogen has a vast arsenal of virulence factors at its disposal, but avirulent strains are frequently isolated as the cause of clinical infections. These isolates have a mutated agr locus and have been believed to have no evolutionary future. Here we show that a fraction of Agr-...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyDisruption of Glycolysis by Nutritional Immunity Activates a Two-Component System That Coordinates a Metabolic and Antihost Response by Staphylococcus aureusTwo-component regulatory systems enable bacteria to adapt to changes in their environment during infection by altering gene expression and coordinating antihost responses. Despite the critical role of two-component systems in bacterial survival and pathogenesis, the activating signals for most of these regulators remain unidentified. This is exemplified by ArlRS, a ...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyPseudomonas aeruginosa Increases the Sensitivity of Biofilm-Grown Staphylococcus aureus to Membrane-Targeting Antiseptics and AntibioticsThe thick mucus in the airways of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients predisposes them to frequent, polymicrobial respiratory infections. Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus are frequently coisolated from the airways of individuals with CF, as well as from diabetic foot ulcers and other...
Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyTargeting Mannitol Metabolism as an Alternative Antimicrobial Strategy Based on the Structure-Function Study of Mannitol-1-Phosphate Dehydrogenase in Staphylococcus aureusDue to the shortage of effective antibiotics against drug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, new targets are urgently required to develop next-generation antibiotics. We investigated mannitol-1-phosphate dehydrogenase of S. aureus USA300 (SaM1PDH), a key enzyme regulating intracellular...
Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyIdentification of Extracellular DNA-Binding Proteins in the Biofilm MatrixMany bacteria are capable of forming biofilms encased in a matrix of self-produced extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) that protects them from chemotherapies and the host defenses. As a result of these inherent resistance mechanisms, bacterial biofilms are extremely difficult to eradicate and are associated with chronic wounds, orthopedic and surgical wound infections, and invasive infections, such as infective endocarditis and...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyLangerhans Cells Sense Staphylococcus aureus Wall Teichoic Acid through Langerin To Induce Inflammatory ResponsesThe bacterium Staphylococcus aureus is an important cause of skin infections and is also associated with the occurrence and severity of eczema. Langerhans cells (LCs), a specific subset of skin immune cells, participate in the immune response to S. aureus, but it is yet unclear how LCs recognize...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyProtease-Mediated Growth of Staphylococcus aureus on Host Proteins Is opp3 DependentStaphylococcus aureus has the ability to cause infections in a variety of niches, suggesting a robust metabolic capacity facilitating proliferation under various nutrient conditions. The mature skin abscess is glucose depleted, indicating that peptides and free amino acids are important sources of nutrients for...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyBinding of Staphylococcus aureus Protein A to von Willebrand Factor Is Regulated by Mechanical ForceStaphylococcus aureus protein A (SpA) binds to von Willebrand factor (vWF) under flow. While vWF binding to SpA plays a role in S. aureus adherence to platelets and endothelial cells under shear stress, the molecular basis of this stress-dependent interaction has not yet been elucidated. Here we...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyStaphylococcal Superantigens Stimulate Epithelial Cells through CD40 To Produce ChemokinesMenstrual toxic shock syndrome (TSS) is a serious infectious disease associated with vaginal colonization by Staphylococcus aureus producing the exotoxin TSS toxin 1 (TSST-1). We show that menstrual TSS occurs after TSST-1 interaction with an immune costimulatory molecule called CD40 on the surface of vaginal epithelial cells. Other related toxins, where the entire...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyManganese Detoxification by MntE Is Critical for Resistance to Oxidative Stress and Virulence of Staphylococcus aureusManganese (Mn) is generally viewed as a critical nutrient that is beneficial to pathogenic bacteria due to its function as an enzymatic cofactor and its capability of acting as an antioxidant; yet paradoxically, high concentrations of this transition metal can be toxic. In this work, we demonstrate Staphylococcus aureus utilizes the cation diffusion facilitator (CDF)...