scholarly journals Mechanism of Reduced Vancomycin Susceptibility Conferred bywalKMutation in Community-Acquired Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Strain MW2

2014 ◽  
Vol 59 (2) ◽  
pp. 1352-1355 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jinfeng Hu ◽  
Xu Zhang ◽  
Xiaoyu Liu ◽  
Chuan Chen ◽  
Baolin Sun
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Point Mutations ◽  
Aureus Strain ◽  
Cell Wall Metabolism ◽  
Mobility Shift ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Expression Of Genes ◽  
Autolytic Activity ◽  
Mobility Shift Assay

ABSTRACTPoint mutations with unclear molecular mechanisms are often associated with vancomycin resistance inStaphylococcus aureus. Here, we observed that thewalK(G223D) mutation caused decreased expression of genes associated with cell wall metabolism, decreased autolytic activity, thickened cell walls, and reduced vancomycin susceptibility. A phosphorylation assay showed that WalK (G223D) exhibited reduced autophosphorylation, which led to reduced phosphorylation of WalR. An electrophoretic mobility shift assay indicated that WalK (G223D)-phosphorylated WalR had a reduced capacity to bind to theatlApromoter.

scholarly journals RbsR Activates Capsule but Represses therbsUDKOperon in Staphylococcus aureus

2015 ◽  
Vol 197 (23) ◽  
pp. 3666-3675 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mei G. Lei ◽  
Chia Y. Lee
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Virulence Factor ◽  
Transcriptional Activation ◽  
Promoter Region ◽  
Mobility Shift ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Virulence Regulation ◽  
Important Virulence Factor ◽  
Dna Fragment ◽  
Mobility Shift Assay

ABSTRACTStaphylococcus aureuscapsule is an important virulence factor that is regulated by a large number of regulators. Capsule genes are expressed from a major promoter upstream of thecapoperon. A 10-bp inverted repeat (IR) located 13 bp upstream of the −35 region of the promoter was previously shown to affect capsule gene transcription. However, little is known about transcriptional activation of thecappromoter. To search for potential proteins which directly interact with thecappromoter region (Pcap), we directly analyzed the proteins interacting with the PcapDNA fragment from shifted gel bands identified by electrophoretic mobility shift assay. One of these regulators, RbsR, was further characterized and found to positively regulatecapgene expression by specifically binding to thecappromoter region. Footprinting analyses showed that RbsR protected a DNA region encompassing the 10-bp IR. Our results further showed thatrbsRwas directly controlled by SigB and that RbsR was a repressor of therbsUDKoperon, involved in ribose uptake and phosphorylation. The repression ofrbsUDKby RbsR could be derepressed byd-ribose. However,d-ribose did not affect RbsR activation of capsule.IMPORTANCEStaphylococcus aureusis an important human pathogen which produces a large number of virulence factors. We have been using capsule as a model virulence factor to study virulence regulation. Although many capsule regulators have been identified, the mechanism of regulation of most of these regulators is unknown. We show here that RbsR activates capsule by direct promoter binding and that SigB is required for the expression ofrbsR. These results define a new pathway wherein SigB activates capsule through RbsR. Our results further demonstrate that RbsR inhibits therbsoperon involved in ribose utilization, thereby providing an example of coregulation of metabolism and virulence inS. aureus. Thus, this study further advances our understanding of staphylococcal virulence regulation.

scholarly journals SpoVG Regulates Cell Wall Metabolism and Oxacillin Resistance in Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Strain N315

2016 ◽  
Vol 60 (6) ◽  
pp. 3455-3461 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaoyu Liu ◽  
Shijie Zhang ◽  
Baolin Sun
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Cell Wall ◽  
Aureus Strain ◽  
Cell Wall Metabolism ◽  
Mobility Shift ◽  
Entire Family ◽  
Positive Role ◽  
Methicillin Resistant ◽  
Oxacillin Resistance ◽  
Mrsa Strains

Increasing cases of infections caused by methicillin-resistantStaphylococcus aureus(MRSA) strains in healthy individuals have raised concerns worldwide. MRSA strains are resistant to almost the entire family of β-lactam antibiotics due to the acquisition of an extra penicillin-binding protein, PBP2a. Studies have shown thatspoVGis involved in oxacillin resistance, while the regulatory mechanism remains elusive. In this study, we have found that SpoVG plays a positive role in oxacillin resistance through promoting cell wall synthesis and inhibiting cell wall degradation in MRSA strain N315. Deletion ofspoVGin strain N315 led to a significant decrease in oxacillin resistance and a dramatic increase in Triton X-100-induced autolytic activity simultaneously. Real-time quantitative reverse transcription-PCR revealed that the expression of 8 genes related to cell wall metabolism or oxacillin resistance was altered in thespoVGmutant. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay indicated that SpoVG can directly bind to the putative promoter regions oflytN(murein hydrolase),femA, andlytSR(the two-component system). These findings suggest a molecular mechanism in which SpoVG modulates oxacillin resistance by regulating cell wall metabolism in MRSA.

scholarly journals Identification of Point Mutations in Clinical Staphylococcus aureus Strains That Produce Small-Colony Variants Auxotrophic for Menadione

2014 ◽  
Vol 82 (4) ◽  
pp. 1600-1605 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melissa A. Dean ◽  
Randall J. Olsen ◽  
S. Wesley Long ◽  
Adriana E. Rosato ◽  
James M. Musser
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Pathway Analysis ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Point Mutations ◽  
Biosynthesis Pathway ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Small Colony Variants ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Genes Encoding ◽  
Small Colony

ABSTRACTStaphylococcus aureussmall-colony variants (SCVs) are implicated in chronic and relapsing infections that are difficult to diagnose and treat. Despite many years of study, the underlying molecular mechanisms and virulence effect of the small-colony phenotype remain incompletely understood. We sequenced the genomes of fiveS. aureusSCV strains recovered from human patients and discovered previously unidentified nonsynonymous point mutations in three genes encoding proteins in the menadione biosynthesis pathway. Analysis of genetic revertants and complementation with wild-type alleles confirmed that these mutations caused the SCV phenotype and decreased virulence for mice.

scholarly journals “Slow VISA,” a Novel Phenotype of Vancomycin Resistance, FoundIn Vitroin Heterogeneous Vancomycin-Intermediate Staphylococcus aureus Strain Mu3

2014 ◽  
Vol 58 (9) ◽  
pp. 5024-5035 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michie Saito ◽  
Yuki Katayama ◽  
Tomomi Hishinuma ◽  
Akira Iwamoto ◽  
Yoshifumi Aiba ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Cell Wall ◽  
Aureus Strain ◽  
Clinical Strain ◽  
Regulatory Mutation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Extremely High Frequency ◽  
Vancomycin Mics ◽  
Autolytic Activity ◽  
Doubling Times

ABSTRACTHeterogeneous vancomycin-intermediateStaphylococcus aureus(hVISA) clinical strain Mu3 spontaneously generates VISA strains at an extremely high frequency (≥1 × 10−6). The generated VISA strains usually grow more slowly than does the parent hVISA strain, but they form colonies on vancomycin-containing agar plates before 48 h of incubation. However, we noticed a curious group of VISA strains, designated “slow VISA” (sVISA), whose colonies appear only after 72 h of incubation. They have extremely prolonged doubling times but have vancomycin MICs of 8 to ∼24 mg/liter when determined after 72 to ∼144 h of incubation. We established strain Mu3-6R-P (6R-P), which has a vancomycin MIC of 16 mg/liter (at 72 h), as a representative sVISA strain. Its cell wall was thickened and autolytic activity was decreased compared to the respective qualities of the parent hVISA strain Mu3. Whole-genome sequencing of 6R-P revealed only one mutation, encoded byrpoB(R512P), which replaced the 512th arginine of the RNA polymerase β-subunit with proline. Its VISA phenotype was unstable, and the strain frequently reverted to hVISA with concomitant losses of pinpoint colony morphology and cell wall thickness and reduced autolytic activity. Sequencing of therpoBgenes of the phenotypic revertant strains revealed mutations affecting the 512th codon, where the proline of 6R-P was replaced with leucine, serine, or histidine. Slow VISA generated in the tissues of an infected patient serves as a temporary shelter for hVISA to survive vancomycin therapy. The sVISA strain spontaneously returns to hVISA when the threat of vancomycin is lifted. TherpoB(R512P) mutation may be regarded as a regulatory mutation that switches the reversible phenotype of sVISA on and off.

scholarly journals MgrA Activates Staphylococcal Capsule via SigA-Dependent Promoter

2020 ◽  
Vol 203 (2) ◽  
pp. e00495-20
Author(s):  
Mei G. Lei ◽  
Chia Y. Lee
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Gene Regulation ◽  
Virulence Factor ◽  
Virulence Gene ◽  
Major Effect ◽  
Mobility Shift ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Regulatory Pathways ◽  
Mobility Shift Assay ◽  
Virulence Gene Regulation

ABSTRACTStaphylococcus aureus capsule polysaccharide is an important antiphagocytic virulence factor. The cap genes are regulated at the promoter element (Pcap) upstream of the cap operon. Pcap, which consists of a dominant SigB-dependent promoter and a weaker upstream SigA-dependent promoter, is activated by global regulator MgrA. How MgrA activates capsule is unclear. Here, we showed that MgrA directly bound to the Pcap region and affected the SigA-dependent promoter. Interestingly, an electrophoretic mobility shift assay showed that MgrA bound to a large region of Pcap, mainly downstream of the SigA-dependent promoter. We further showed that the ArlRS two-component system and the Agr quorum sensing system activated capsule primarily through MgrA in the early growth phases.IMPORTANCE The virulence of Staphylococcus aureus depends on the expression of various virulence factors, which is governed by a complex regulatory network. We have been using capsule as a model virulence factor to study virulence gene regulation in S. aureus. MgrA is one of the regulators of capsule and has a major effect on capsule production. However, how MgrA regulates capsule genes is not understood. In this study, we were able to define the mechanism involving MgrA regulation of capsule. In addition, we also delineated the role of MgrA in capsule regulatory pathways involving the key virulence regulators Agr and Arl. This study further advances our understanding of virulence gene regulation in S. aureus, an important human pathogen.

scholarly journals Genome Sequence of a Staphylococcus aureus Strain Isolated from a Dairy Cow That Was Nonresponsive to Antibiotic Treatment

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (20) ◽  
Author(s):  
John D. Lippolis ◽  
Ellie J. Putz ◽  
Hao Ma ◽  
David P. Alt ◽  
Eduardo Casas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Dairy Cattle ◽  
Antibiotic Treatment ◽  
Genome Sequence ◽  
Dairy Cow ◽  
Aureus Strain ◽  
Chronic Case ◽  
Content Type

Staphylococcus aureus can cause mastitis in dairy cattle. We report the genome sequence of a Staphylococcus aureus strain isolated from a dairy cow with a chronic case of mastitis. The infection with this strain of Staphylococcus aureus was not cleared from the animal with antibiotic treatment.

scholarly journals Causal Role of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms within themprFGene of Staphylococcus aureus in Daptomycin Resistance

2013 ◽  
Vol 57 (11) ◽  
pp. 5658-5664 ◽  
Author(s):  
Soo-Jin Yang ◽  
Nagendra N. Mishra ◽  
Aileen Rubio ◽  
Arnold S. Bayer
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms ◽  
Point Mutations ◽  
Nucleotide Polymorphisms ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Single Nucleotide ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Reading Frame ◽  
A Charge

ABSTRACTSingle nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within themprFopen reading frame (ORF) have been commonly observed in daptomycin-resistant (DAPr)Staphylococcus aureusstrains. Such SNPs are usually associated with a gain-in-function phenotype, in terms of either increased synthesis or enhanced translocation (flipping) of lysyl-phosphatidylglycerol (L-PG). However, it is unclear if suchmprFSNPs are causal in DAPrstrains or are merely a biomarker for this phenotype. In this study, we used an isogenic set ofS. aureusstrains: (i) Newman, (ii) its isogenic ΔmprFmutant, and (iii) several intransplasmid complementation constructs, expressing either a wild-type or point-mutated form of themprFORF cloned from two isogenic DAP-susceptible (DAPs)-DAPrstrain pairs (616-701 and MRSA11/11-REF2145). Complementation of the ΔmprFstrain with singly point-mutatedmprFgenes (mprFS295LormprFT345A) revealed that (i) individual and distinct point mutations within themprFORF can recapitulate phenotypes observed in donor strains (i.e., changes in DAP MICs, positive surface charge, and cell membrane phospholipid profiles) and (ii) these gain-in-function SNPs (i.e., enhanced L-PG synthesis) likely promote reduced DAP binding toS. aureusby a charge repulsion mechanism. Thus, for these two DAPrstrains, the definedmprFSNPs appear to be causally related to this phenotype.

scholarly journals CidR and CcpA Synergistically Regulate Staphylococcus aureus cidABC Expression

2019 ◽  
Vol 201 (23) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marat R. Sadykov ◽  
Ian H. Windham ◽  
Todd J. Widhelm ◽  
Vijaya Kumar Yajjala ◽  
Sean M. Watson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Carbon Metabolism ◽  
Protein A ◽  
Transcriptional Regulators ◽  
Extracellular Dna ◽  
Regulatory Control ◽  
Pcr Analysis ◽  
Mobility Shift ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Biofilm Development

ABSTRACT The death and lysis of a subpopulation of Staphylococcus aureus cells during biofilm development benefit the whole bacterial population through the release of an important component of the biofilm matrix, extracellular DNA. Previously, we have demonstrated that these processes are affected by the gene products of the cidABC operon, the expression of which is controlled by the LysR-type transcriptional regulator, CidR. In this study, we characterized cis- and trans-acting elements essential for the induction of the cidABC operon. In addition to a CidR-binding site located within the cidABC promoter region, sequence analysis revealed the presence of a putative catabolite responsive element (cre box), suggestive of the involvement of the catabolite control protein A (CcpA) in the regulation of cidABC expression. This was confirmed using electrophoretic mobility shift assays and real-time reverse transcriptase PCR analysis demonstrating the direct positive control of cidABC transcription by the master regulator of carbon metabolism. Furthermore, the importance of CcpA and the identified cre site for the induction of the cidABC operon was demonstrated by examining the expression of PcidABC-lacZ reporter fusions in various mutant strains in which the genes involved in carbon metabolism and carbon catabolite repression were disrupted. Together the results of this study demonstrate the necessity of both transcriptional regulators, CidR and CcpA, for the induction of the cidABC operon and reveal the complexity of molecular interactions controlling its expression. IMPORTANCE This work focuses on the characterization of cis- and trans-acting elements essential for the induction of the cidABC operon in S. aureus. The results of this study are the first to demonstrate the synergistic control of cidABC expression by transcriptional regulators CidR and CcpA during carbohydrate metabolism. We established that the full induction of cidABC expression depends on the metabolic state of bacteria and requires both CidR and CcpA. Together, these findings delineate regulatory control of cidABC expression under different metabolic conditions and provide important new insights into our understanding of cell death mechanisms during biofilm development in S. aureus.

scholarly journals Prolonged Growth of a Clinical Staphylococcus aureus Strain Selects for a Stable Small-Colony-Variant Cell Type

2014 ◽  
Vol 83 (2) ◽  
pp. 470-481 ◽  
Author(s):  
Long M. G. Bui ◽  
Peter Hoffmann ◽  
John D. Turnidge ◽  
Peter S. Zilm ◽  
Stephen P. Kidd
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Extracellular Matrix ◽  
Extracellular Dna ◽  
Aureus Strain ◽  
Specific Cell ◽  
Cell Type ◽  
Term Survival ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Prolonged Time ◽  
Small Colony

An undetermined feature ofStaphylococcus aureuspathogenesis is its persistence and then relapse of disease. This has been explained by its switch to alternative lifestyles, mainly as biofilm or small-colony variants (SCVs). Studying the native characteristics of SCVs has been problematic due to their reversion to the parental lifestyle. We have observed that for a number ofS. aureusstrains as they switch to an SCV lifestyle, there is the formation of an extracellular matrix. We focused our analysis on one strain, WCH-SK2. For bacterial survival in the host, the combination of low nutrients and the prolonged time frame forms a stress that selects for a specific cell type from the population. In this context, we used steady-state growth conditions with low nutrients and a controlled low growth rate for a prolonged time and with methylglyoxal. These conditions inducedS. aureusWCH-SK2 into a stable SCV cell type; the cells did not revert after subculturing. Analysis revealed these cells possessed a metabolic and surface profile that was different from those of previously described SCVs or biofilm cells. The extracellular matrix was protein and extracellular DNA but not polysaccharide. The SCV cells induced expression of certain surface proteins (such as Ebh) and synthesis of lantibiotics while downregulating factors that stimulate the immune response (leucocidin, capsule, and carotenoid). Our data reveal cell heterogeneity within anS. aureuspopulation and under conditions that resemble long-term survival in the host have identified a previously unnoticedS. aureuscell type with a distinctive metabolic and molecular profile.

scholarly journals A Sequence of the CIS Gene Promoter Interacts Preferentially with Two Associated STAT5A Dimers: a Distinct Biochemical Difference between STAT5A and STAT5B

1998 ◽  
Vol 18 (10) ◽  
pp. 5852-5860 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frédérique Verdier ◽  
Raquel Rabionet ◽  
Fabrice Gouilleux ◽  
Christian Beisenherz-Huss ◽  
Paule Varlet ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Target Genes ◽  
Prolactin Receptor ◽  
Gene Promoter ◽  
Expression Vectors ◽  
Mobility Shift ◽  
Nuclear Extracts ◽  
Mobility Shift Assay ◽  
Binding Sequence ◽  
Biochemical Difference

ABSTRACT Two distinct genes encode the closely related signal transducer and activator of transcription proteins STAT5A and STAT5B. The molecular mechanisms of gene regulation by STAT5 and, particularly, the requirement for both STAT5 isoforms are still undetermined. Only a few STAT5 target genes, among them the CIS (cytokine-inducible SH2-containing protein) gene, have been identified. We cloned the human CIS gene and studied the human CIS gene promoter. This promoter contains four STAT binding elements organized in two pairs. By electrophoretic mobility shift assay studies using nuclear extracts of UT7 cells stimulated with erythropoietin, we showed that these four sequences bound to STAT5-containing complexes that exhibited different patterns and affinities: the three upstream STAT binding sequences bound to two distinct STAT5-containing complexes (C0 and C1) and the downstream STAT box bound only to the slower-migrating C1 band. Using nuclear extracts from COS-7 cells transfected with expression vectors for the prolactin receptor, STAT5A, and/or STAT5B, we showed that the C1 complex was composed of a STAT5 tetramer and was dependent on the presence of STAT5A. STAT5B lacked this property and bound with a stronger affinity than did STAT5A to the four STAT sequences as a homodimer (C0 complex). This distinct biochemical difference between STAT5A and STAT5B was confirmed with purified activated STAT5 recombinant proteins. Moreover, we showed that the presence on the same side of the DNA helix of a second STAT sequence increased STAT5 binding and that only half of the palindromic STAT binding sequence was sufficient for the formation of a STAT5 tetramer. Again, STAT5A was essential for this cooperative tetrameric association. This property distinguishes STAT5A from STAT5B and could be essential to explain the transcriptional regulation diversity of STAT5.

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