ABSTRACTMethicillin-resistantStaphylococcus aureus(MRSA) is a threat to global health. Consequently, much effort has focused on the development of new antimicrobials that target novel aspects ofS. aureusphysiology. Fatty acids are required to maintain cell viability, and bacteria synthesize fatty acids using the type II fatty acid synthesis (FASII) pathway. FASII is significantly different from human fatty acid synthesis, underscoring the therapeutic potential of inhibiting this pathway. However, many Gram-positive pathogens incorporate exogenous fatty acids, bypassing FASII inhibition and leaving the clinical potential of FASII inhibitors uncertain. Importantly, the source(s) of fatty acids available to pathogens within the host environment remains unclear. Fatty acids are transported throughout the body by lipoprotein particles in the form of triglycerides and esterified cholesterol. Thus, lipoproteins, such as low-density lipoprotein (LDL), represent a potentially rich source of exogenous fatty acids forS. aureusduring infection. We sought to test the ability of LDLs to serve as a fatty acid source forS. aureusand show that cells cultured in the presence of human LDLs demonstrate increased tolerance to the FASII inhibitor triclosan. Using mass spectrometry, we observed that host-derived fatty acids present in the LDLs are incorporated into the staphylococcal membrane and that tolerance to triclosan is facilitated by the fatty acid kinase A, FakA, and Geh, a triacylglycerol lipase. Finally, we demonstrate that human LDLs support the growth ofS. aureusfatty acid auxotrophs. Together, these results suggest that human lipoprotein particles are a viable source of exogenous fatty acids forS. aureusduring infection.IMPORTANCEInhibition of bacterial fatty acid synthesis is a promising approach to combating infections caused byS. aureusand other human pathogens. However,S. aureusincorporates exogenous fatty acids into its phospholipid bilayer. Therefore, the clinical utility of targeting bacterial fatty acid synthesis is debated. Moreover, the fatty acid reservoir(s) exploited byS. aureusis not well understood. Human low-density lipoprotein particles represent a particularly abundantin vivosource of fatty acids and are present in tissues thatS. aureuscolonizes. Herein, we establish thatS. aureusis capable of utilizing the fatty acids present in low-density lipoproteins to bypass both chemical and genetic inhibition of fatty acid synthesis. These findings imply thatS. aureustargets LDLs as a source of fatty acids during pathogenesis.
Inhibition of fatty acid synthesis decreases very low density lipoprotein secretion in the hamster.
