scholarly journals Characterization of RNA Helicase CshA and Its Role in Protecting mRNAs and Small RNAs of Staphylococcus aureus Strain Newman

2016 ◽  
Vol 84 (3) ◽  
pp. 833-844 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samin Kim ◽  
Anna-Rita Corvaglia ◽  
Stefano Léo ◽  
Ambrose Cheung ◽  
Patrice Francois
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Small Rnas ◽  
Rna Binding ◽  
Regulatory Protein ◽  
Protein S ◽  
Rna Helicase ◽  
Aureus Strain ◽  
Growth Defect ◽  
Content Type

The toxin MazFsainStaphylococcus aureusis a sequence-specific endoribonuclease that cleaves the majority of the mRNAsin vivobut spares many essential mRNAs (e.g.,secYmRNA) and, surprisingly, an mRNA encoding a regulatory protein (i.e.,sarAmRNA). We hypothesize that some mRNAs may be protected by RNA-binding protein(s) from degradation by MazFsa. Using heparin-Sepharose-enriched fractions that hybridized tosarAmRNA on Northwestern blots, we identified among multiple proteins the DEAD box RNA helicase CshA (NWMN_1985 or SA1885) by mass spectroscopy. Purified CshA exhibits typical RNA helicase activities, as exemplified by RNA-dependent ATPase activity and unwinding of the DNA-RNA duplex. A severe growth defect was observed in thecshAmutant compared with the parent when grown at 25°C but not at 37°C. Activation of MazFsain thecshAmutant resulted in lower CFU per milliliter accompanied by a precipitous drop in viability (∼40%) compared to those of the parent and complemented strains. NanoString analysis reveals diminished expression of a small number of mRNAs and 22 small RNAs (sRNAs) in thecshAmutant versus the parent upon MazFsainduction, thus implying protection of these RNAs by CshA. In the case of the sRNA teg049 within thesarAlocus, we showed that the protective effect was likely due to transcript stability as revealed by reduced half-life in thecshAmutant versus the parent. Accordingly, CshA likely stabilizes selective mRNAs and sRNAsin vivoand as a result enhancesS. aureussurvival upon MazFsainduction during stress.

scholarly journals Vibrio choleraeCsrA Directly RegulatesvarATo Increase Expression of the Three Nonredundant Csr Small RNAs

mBio ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Heidi A. Butz ◽  
Alexandra R. Mey ◽  
Ashley L. Ciosek ◽  
Shelley M. Payne
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Vibrio Cholerae ◽  
Small Rnas ◽  
Feedback Loop ◽  
Rna Binding ◽  
Regulatory Protein ◽  
Fine Tuning ◽  
Mobility Shift ◽  
Content Type

ABSTRACTCsrA, an RNA-binding global regulator, is an essential protein inVibrio cholerae.V. choleraeCsrA is regulated by three small RNAs (sRNAs), namely, CsrB, CsrC, and CsrD, which act to sequester and antagonize the activity of CsrA. Although the sRNAs were considered to be largely redundant, we found that they differ in expression, half-life, and the ability to regulate CsrA. Further, we identified a feedback loop in the Csr system in which CsrA increases the synthesis of these antagonistic sRNAs. Because the Csr sRNAs are positively regulated by VarA, we determined the effects of CsrA on VarA levels. The level of VarA was reduced in acsrAmutant, and we found that CsrA directly bound tovarAmRNA in an electrophoretic mobility shift assayin vitroand in an CsrA-RNA immunoprecipitation assayin vivo. Thus,varAmRNA is anin vivo-verified direct target of CsrA inV. cholerae, and this is the first demonstration of CsrA directly binding to avarA/uvrY/gacAhomolog. Additionally, we demonstrated that avarAtranslational fusion was less active in acsrAmutant than in wild-typeV. cholerae, suggesting that CsrA enhancesvarAtranslation. We propose that this autoregulatory feedback loop, in which CsrA increases the production of the nonredundant Csr sRNAs by regulating the amount of VarA, provides a mechanism for fine-tuning the availability of CsrA and, thus, of its downstream targets.IMPORTANCEVibrio choleraeis a major human pathogen, causing epidemics and pandemics of cholera.V. choleraepersists in the aquatic environment, providing a constant source for human infection. Success in transitioning from the environment to the human host and back requires the bacterium to rapidly respond and to adjust its gene expression and metabolism to these two very different habitats. Our findings show that CsrA, an RNA-binding regulatory protein, plays a central role in regulating these transitions. CsrA activity is controlled by the antagonistic sRNAs CsrB, CsrC, and CsrD, and these sRNAs respond to changes in the availability of nutrients. CsrA autoregulates its own activity by controlling these sRNAs via their primary regulator VarA. Thus, the change in CsrA availability in response to nutrient availability allowsV. choleraeto alter gene expression in response to environmental cues.

scholarly journals Mutations within themepAOperator Affect Binding of the MepR Regulatory Protein and Its Induction by MepA Substrates in Staphylococcus aureus

2015 ◽  
Vol 197 (6) ◽  
pp. 1104-1114 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bryan D. Schindler ◽  
Susan M. Seo ◽  
Ivan Birukou ◽  
Richard G. Brennan ◽  
Glenn W. Kaatz
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Binding Sites ◽  
Regulatory Protein ◽  
Titration Calorimetry ◽  
Multidrug Efflux ◽  
Mobility Shift ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Operator Mutant ◽  
Current Sequence

The expression ofmepA, encoding theStaphylococcus aureusMepA multidrug efflux protein, is repressed by the MarR homologue MepR. Repression occurs through binding of two MepR dimers to an operator with two homologous and closely approximated pseudopalindromic binding sites (site 1 [S1] and site 2 [S2]). MepR binding is impeded in the presence of pentamidine, a MepA substrate. The effects of variousmepAoperator mutations on MepR binding were determined using electrophoretic mobility shift assays and isothermal titration calorimetry, and anin vivoconfirmation of the effects observed was established for a fully palindromic operator mutant. Altering the S1-S2 spacing by 1 to 4 bp severely impaired S2 binding, likely due to a physical collision between adjacent MepR dimers. Extension of the spacing to 9 bp eliminated the S1 binding-mediated DNA allostery required for efficient S2 binding, consistent with positive cooperative binding of MepR dimers. Binding of a single dimer to S1 was maintained when S2 was disrupted, whereas disruption of S1 eliminated any significant binding to S2, also consistent with positive cooperativity. Palindromization of binding sites, especially S2, enhanced MepR affinity for themepAoperator and reduced MepA substrate-mediated MepR induction. As a result, the on-off equilibrium between MepR and its binding sites was shifted toward the on state, resulting in less free MepR being available for interaction with inducing ligand. The selective pressure(s) under whichmepAexpression is advantageous likely contributed to the accumulation of mutations in themepAoperator, resulting in the current sequence from which MepR is readily induced by MepA substrates.

scholarly journals In VivoEffects of Cefazolin, Daptomycin, and Nafcillin in Experimental Endocarditis with a Methicillin-Susceptible Staphylococcus aureus Strain Showing an Inoculum Effect against Cefazolin

2013 ◽  
Vol 57 (9) ◽  
pp. 4276-4281 ◽  
Author(s):  
Esteban C. Nannini ◽  
Kavindra V. Singh ◽  
Cesar A. Arias ◽  
Barbara E. Murray
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Aureus Strain ◽  
Standard Group ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Inoculum Effect ◽  
Antibiotic Dose ◽  
Relapse Group ◽  
Better Than

ABSTRACTSeveral reports have implicated the inoculum effect that some strains of type A beta-lactamase (Bla)-producing, methicillin-susceptibleStaphylococcus aureus(MSSA) show against cefazolin as the cause for clinical failures in certain serious deep-seated infections. Here, using a previously reported MSSA strain displaying this phenotype (TX0117), we obtained a Bla-cured derivative (TX0117c) with a combination of novobiocin and high temperature. Both isolates were then used in a rat endocarditis model and treated with cefazolin, nafcillin, and daptomycin, given to simulate human dosing. Animals were treated for 3 days and either sacrificed at 24 h after the last antibiotic dose (standard group) or left untreated for an additional 3 days (relapse group). With TX0117 in the standard treatment group, daptomycin and nafcillin were both significantly better than cefazolin in reducing CFU/g of vegetations, achieving mean log10reductions compared to levels in untreated rats of 7.1, 5.3, and 1.8, respectively (cefazolin versus daptomycin,P< 0.0001; cefazolin versus nafcillin,P= 0.005; daptomycin versus nafcillin,P= 0.053). In addition, cefazolin was significantly more effective in reducing vegetation titers of TX0117c than of TX0117 (mean log10reduction of 1.4 versus 5.5, respectively;P= 0.0001). Similar results were observed with animals in the relapse group. Thus, these data show that there can be anin vivoconsequence of thein vitroinoculum effect that some MSSA strains display against cefazolin and indicate a specific role for Bla production using a Bla-cured derivative strain against which cefazolin regained bothin vitroandin vivoactivity.

scholarly journals Reading between the Lines: Utilizing RNA-Seq Data for Global Analysis of sRNAs in Staphylococcus aureus

mSphere ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hailee M. Sorensen ◽  
Rebecca A. Keogh ◽  
Marcus A. Wittekind ◽  
Andrew R. Caillet ◽  
Richard E. Wiemels ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Genome Annotation ◽  
Small Rnas ◽  
Regulatory Elements ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Rna Seq ◽  
Annotation File ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type

ABSTRACT Regulatory small RNAs (sRNAs) are known to play important roles in the Gram-positive bacterial pathogen Staphylococcus aureus; however, their existence is often overlooked, primarily because sRNA genes are absent from genome annotation files. Consequently, transcriptome sequencing (RNA-Seq)-based experimental approaches, performed using standard genome annotation files as a reference, have likely overlooked data for sRNAs. Previously, we created an updated S. aureus genome annotation file, which included annotations for 303 known sRNAs in USA300. Here, we utilized this updated reference file to reexamine publicly available RNA-Seq data sets in an attempt to recover lost information on sRNA expression, stability, and potential to encode peptides. First, we used transcriptomic data from 22 studies to identify how the expression of 303 sRNAs changed under 64 different experimental conditions. Next, we used RNA-Seq data from an RNA stability assay to identify highly stable/unstable sRNAs. We went on to reanalyze a ribosome profiling (Ribo-seq) data set to identify sRNAs that have the potential to encode peptides and to experimentally confirm the presence of three of these peptides in the USA300 background. Interestingly, one of these sRNAs/peptides, encoded at the tsr37 locus, influences the ability of S. aureus cells to autoaggregate. Finally, we reexamined two recently published in vivo RNA-Seq data sets, from the cystic fibrosis (CF) lung and a murine vaginal colonization study, and identified 29 sRNAs that may play a role in vivo. Collectively, these results can help inform future studies of these important regulatory elements in S. aureus and highlight the need for ongoing curating and updating of genome annotation files. IMPORTANCE Regulatory small RNAs (sRNAs) are a class of RNA molecules that are produced in bacterial cells but that typically do not encode proteins. Instead, they perform a variety of critical functions within the cell as RNA. Most bacterial genomes do not include annotations for sRNA genes, and any type of analysis that is performed using a bacterial genome as a reference will therefore overlook data for sRNAs. In this study, we reexamined hundreds of previously generated S. aureus RNA-Seq data sets and reanalyzed them to generate data for sRNAs. To do so, we utilized an updated S. aureus genome annotation file, previously generated by our group, which contains annotations for 303 sRNAs. The data generated (which were previously discarded) shed new light on sRNAs in S. aureus, most of which are unstudied, and highlight certain sRNAs that are likely to play important roles in the cell.

scholarly journals Stepwise Decrease in Daptomycin Susceptibility in Clinical Staphylococcus aureus Isolates Associated with an Initial Mutation inrpoBand a Compensatory Inactivation of theclpXGene

2015 ◽  
Vol 59 (11) ◽  
pp. 6983-6991 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristoffer T. Bæk ◽  
Louise Thøgersen ◽  
René G. Mogenssen ◽  
Maiken Mellergaard ◽  
Line E. Thomsen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Cell Wall ◽  
Wall Stress ◽  
Growth Defect ◽  
Loss Of Function ◽  
Genetic Changes ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Virulence Traits ◽  
Lipopeptide Antibiotic

ABSTRACTDaptomycin is a lipopeptide antibiotic used clinically for the treatment of methicillin-resistantStaphylococcus aureus(MRSA) infections. The emergence of daptomycin-nonsusceptibleS. aureusisolates during therapy is often associated with multiple genetic changes; however, the relative contributions of these changes to resistance and other phenotypic changes usually remain unclear. The present study was undertaken to investigate this issue using a genetically characterized series of four isogenic clinical MRSA strains derived from a patient with bacteremia before and during daptomycin treatment. The first strain obtained after daptomycin therapy carried a single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) inrpoB(RpoB A477D) that decreased susceptibility not only to daptomycin but also to vancomycin, β-lactams, and rifampin. Furthermore, therpoBmutant exhibited pleiotropic phenotypes, including increased cell wall thickness, reduced expression of virulence traits, induced expression of the stress-associated transcriptional regulator Spx, and slow growth. A subsequently acquired loss-of-function mutation inclpXpartly alleviated the growth defect conferred by therpoBmutation without changing antibiotic susceptibility. The final isolate acquired three additional mutations, including an SNP inmprF(MprF S295L) known to confer daptomycin nonsusceptibility, and accordingly, this isolate was the only daptomycin-nonsusceptible strain of this series. Interestingly, in this isolate, the cell wall had regained the same thickness as that of the parental strain, while the level of transcription of thevraSR(cell wall stress regulator) was increased. In conclusion, this study illustrates how serial genetic changes selectedin vivocontribute to daptomycin nonsusceptibility, growth fitness, and virulence traits.

scholarly journals Exogenous Alginate Protects Staphylococcus aureus from Killing by Pseudomonas aeruginosa

2019 ◽  
Vol 202 (8) ◽  
Author(s):  
Courtney E. Price ◽  
Dustin G. Brown ◽  
Dominique H. Limoli ◽  
Vanessa V. Phelan ◽  
George A. O’Toole
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Pseudomonas Aeruginosa ◽  
Physical Space ◽  
Late Time ◽  
Protective Effects ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Alginate Production ◽  
The Impact

ABSTRACT Cystic fibrosis (CF) patients chronically infected with both Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus have worse health outcomes than patients who are monoinfected with either P. aeruginosa or S. aureus. We showed previously that mucoid strains of P. aeruginosa can coexist with S. aureus in vitro due to the transcriptional downregulation of several toxic exoproducts typically produced by P. aeruginosa, including siderophores, rhamnolipids, and HQNO (2-heptyl-4-hydroxyquinoline N-oxide). Here, we demonstrate that exogenous alginate protects S. aureus from P. aeruginosa in both planktonic and biofilm coculture models under a variety of nutritional conditions. S. aureus protection in the presence of exogenous alginate is due to the transcriptional downregulation of pvdA, a gene required for the production of the iron-scavenging siderophore pyoverdine as well as the downregulation of the PQS (Pseudomonas quinolone signal) (2-heptyl-3,4-dihydroxyquinoline) quorum sensing system. The impact of exogenous alginate is independent of endogenous alginate production. We further demonstrate that coculture of mucoid P. aeruginosa with nonmucoid P. aeruginosa strains can mitigate the killing of S. aureus by the nonmucoid strain of P. aeruginosa, indicating that the mechanism that we describe here may function in vivo in the context of mixed infections. Finally, we investigated a panel of mucoid clinical isolates that retain the ability to kill S. aureus at late time points and show that each strain has a unique expression profile, indicating that mucoid isolates can overcome the S. aureus-protective effects of mucoidy in a strain-specific manner. IMPORTANCE CF patients are chronically infected by polymicrobial communities. The two dominant bacterial pathogens that infect the lungs of CF patients are P. aeruginosa and S. aureus, with ∼30% of patients coinfected by both species. Such coinfected individuals have worse outcomes than monoinfected patients, and both species persist within the same physical space. A variety of host and environmental factors have been demonstrated to promote P. aeruginosa-S. aureus coexistence, despite evidence that P. aeruginosa kills S. aureus when these organisms are cocultured in vitro. Thus, a better understanding of P. aeruginosa-S. aureus interactions, particularly mechanisms by which these microorganisms are able to coexist in proximal physical space, will lead to better-informed treatments for chronic polymicrobial infections.

scholarly journals Effects of Tedizolid Phosphate on Survival Outcomes and Suppression of Production of Staphylococcal Toxins in a Rabbit Model of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Necrotizing Pneumonia

2017 ◽  
Vol 61 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Vien T. M. Le ◽  
Hoan N. Le ◽  
Marcos Gabriel Pinheiro ◽  
Kenneth J. Hahn ◽  
Mary L. Dinh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Bacterial Production ◽  
Protective Efficacy ◽  
Survival Rates ◽  
Rabbit Model ◽  
Rank Test ◽  
Necrotizing Pneumonia ◽  
Time Curve ◽  
Content Type

ABSTRACT The protective efficacy of tedizolid phosphate, a novel oxazolidinone that potently inhibits bacterial protein synthesis, was compared to those of linezolid, vancomycin, and saline in a rabbit model of Staphylococcus aureus necrotizing pneumonia. Tedizolid phosphate was administered to rabbits at 6 mg/kg of body weight intravenously twice daily, which yielded values of the 24-h area under the concentration-time curve approximating those found in humans. The overall survival rate was 83% for rabbits treated with 6 mg/kg tedizolid phosphate twice daily and 83% for those treated with 50 mg/kg linezolid thrice daily (P = 0.66 by the log-rank test versus the results obtained with tedizolid phosphate). These survival rates were significantly greater than the survival rates of 17% for rabbits treated with 30 mg/kg vancomycin twice daily (P = 0.003) and 17% for rabbits treated with saline (P = 0.002). The bacterial count in the lungs of rabbits treated with tedizolid phosphate was significantly decreased compared to that in the lungs of rabbits treated with saline, although it was not significantly different from that in the lungs of rabbits treated with vancomycin or linezolid. The in vivo bacterial production of alpha-toxin and Panton-Valentine leukocidin, two key S. aureus-secreted toxins that play critical roles in the pathogenesis of necrotizing pneumonia, in the lungs of rabbits treated with tedizolid phosphate and linezolid was significantly inhibited compared to that in the lungs of rabbits treated with vancomycin or saline. Taken together, these results indicate that tedizolid phosphate is superior to vancomycin for the treatment of S. aureus necrotizing pneumonia because it inhibits the bacterial production of lung-damaging toxins at the site of infection.

scholarly journals Manipulation of Autophagy in Phagocytes Facilitates Staphylococcus aureus Bloodstream Infection

2015 ◽  
Vol 83 (9) ◽  
pp. 3445-3457 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kate M. O'Keeffe ◽  
Mieszko M. Wilk ◽  
John M. Leech ◽  
Alison G. Murphy ◽  
Maisem Laabei ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Systemic Infection ◽  
Critical Factor ◽  
Intracellular Survival ◽  
Autophagic Flux ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Bactericidal Effects ◽  
Staphylococcus Aureus Bloodstream Infection ◽  
Direct Killing

The capacity for intracellular survival within phagocytes is likely a critical factor facilitating the dissemination ofStaphylococcus aureusin the host. To date, the majority of work onS. aureus-phagocyte interactions has focused on neutrophils and, to a lesser extent, macrophages, yet we understand little about the role played by dendritic cells (DCs) in the direct killing of this bacterium. Using bone marrow-derived DCs (BMDCs), we demonstrate for the first time that DCs can effectively killS. aureusbut that certain strains ofS. aureushave the capacity to evade DC (and macrophage) killing by manipulation of autophagic pathways. Strains with high levels of Agr activity were capable of causing autophagosome accumulation, were not killed by BMDCs, and subsequently escaped from the phagocyte, exerting significant cytotoxic effects. Conversely, strains that exhibited low levels of Agr activity failed to accumulate autophagosomes and were killed by BMDCs. Inhibition of the autophagic pathway by treatment with 3-methyladenine restored the bactericidal effects of BMDCs. Using anin vivomodel of systemic infection, we demonstrated that the ability ofS. aureusstrains to evade phagocytic cell killing and to survive temporarily within phagocytes correlated with persistence in the periphery and that this effect is critically Agr dependent. Taken together, our data suggest that strains ofS. aureusexhibiting high levels of Agr activity are capable of blocking autophagic flux, leading to the accumulation of autophagosomes. Within these autophagosomes, the bacteria are protected from phagocytic killing, thus providing an intracellular survival niche within professional phagocytes, which ultimately facilitates dissemination.

scholarly journals Interplay of Nitric Oxide Synthase (NOS) and SrrAB in Modulation ofStaphylococcus aureusMetabolism and Virulence

2018 ◽  
Vol 87 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kimberly L. James ◽  
Austin B. Mogen ◽  
Jessica N. Brandwein ◽  
Silvia S. Orsini ◽  
Miranda J. Ridder ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nitric Oxide ◽  
Nitric Oxide Synthase ◽  
Double Mutant ◽  
Nitrate Assimilation ◽  
Arginine Deiminase ◽  
Growth Defect ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Metabolic Versatility ◽  
Oxide Synthase

ABSTRACTStaphylococcus aureusnitric oxide synthase (saNOS) is a major contributor to virulence, stress resistance, and physiology, yet the specific mechanism(s) by which saNOS intersects with other known regulatory circuits is largely unknown. The SrrAB two-component system, which modulates gene expression in response to the reduced state of respiratory menaquinones, is a positive regulator ofnosexpression. Several SrrAB-regulated genes were also previously shown to be induced in an aerobically respiringnosmutant, suggesting a potential interplay between saNOS and SrrAB. Therefore, a combination of genetic, molecular, and physiological approaches was employed to characterize anos srrABmutant, which had significant reductions in the maximum specific growth rate and oxygen consumption when cultured under conditions promoting aerobic respiration. Thenos srrABmutant secreted elevated lactate levels, correlating with the increased transcription of lactate dehydrogenases. Expression of nitrate and nitrite reductase genes was also significantly enhanced in thenos srrABdouble mutant, and its aerobic growth defect could be partially rescued with supplementation with nitrate, nitrite, or ammonia. Furthermore, elevated ornithine and citrulline levels and highly upregulated expression of arginine deiminase genes were observed in the double mutant. These data suggest that a dual deficiency in saNOS and SrrAB limitsS. aureusto fermentative metabolism, with a reliance on nitrate assimilation and the urea cycle to help fuel energy production. Thenos,srrAB, andnos srrABmutants showed comparable defects in endothelial intracellular survival, whereas thesrrABandnos srrABmutants were highly attenuated during murine sepsis, suggesting that SrrAB-mediated metabolic versatility is dominantin vivo.

scholarly journals Role of BrnQ1 and BrnQ2 in Branched-Chain Amino Acid Transport and Virulence in Staphylococcus aureus

2014 ◽  
Vol 83 (3) ◽  
pp. 1019-1029 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julienne C. Kaiser ◽  
Sameha Omer ◽  
Jessica R. Sheldon ◽  
Ian Welch ◽  
David E. Heinrichs
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Virulence Gene ◽  
Defined Medium ◽  
Infection Model ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Virulence Gene Expression ◽  
Branched Chain Amino Acid ◽  
Branched Chain

The branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs; Ile, Leu, and Val) not only are important nutrients for the growth ofStaphylococcus aureusbut also are corepressors for CodY, which regulates virulence gene expression, implicating BCAAs as an important link between the metabolic state of the cell and virulence. BCAAs are either synthesized intracellularly or acquired from the environment.S. aureusencodes three putative BCAA transporters, designated BrnQ1, BrnQ2, and BrnQ3; their functions have not yet been formally tested. In this study, we mutated all threebrnQparalogs so as to characterize their substrate specificities and their roles in growthin vitroandin vivo. We demonstrated that in the community-associated, methicillin-resistantS. aureus(CA-MRSA) strain USA300, BrnQ1 is involved in uptake of all three BCAAs, BrnQ2 transports Ile, and BrnQ3 does not have a significant role in BCAA transport under the conditions tested. Of the three, only BrnQ1 is essential for USA300 to grow in a chemically defined medium that is limited for Leu or Val. Interestingly, we observed that abrnQ2mutant grew better than USA300 in media limited for Leu and Val, owing to the fact that this mutation leads to overexpression ofbrnQ1. In a murine infection model, thebrnQ1mutant was attenuated, but in contrast,brnQ2mutants had significantly increased virulence compared to that of USA300, a phenotype we suggest is at least partially linked to enhancedin vivoscavenging of Leu and Val through BrnQ1. These data uncover a hitherto-undiscovered connection between nutrient acquisition and virulence in CA-MRSA.

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