scholarly journals MsaB and CodY Interact To RegulateStaphylococcus aureusCapsule in a Nutrient-Dependent Manner

2018 ◽  
Vol 200 (17) ◽  
Author(s):  
Justin L. Batte ◽  
Gyan S. Sahukhal ◽  
Mohamed O. Elasri
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Virulence Factors ◽  
Nutrient Sensing ◽  
Nutrient Concentrations ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Regulatory Relationship ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Capsule Production ◽  
Branched Chain ◽  
Complex Regulatory Network

ABSTRACTStaphylococcus aureushas a complex regulatory network for controlling the production of capsule polysaccharide. InS. aureus, capsule production is controlled by several regulators in response to various environmental stimuli. Previously, we described MsaB as a new regulator that specifically binds to thecappromoter in a growth phase- or nutrient-dependent manner. In addition to MsaB, several other regulators have also been shown to bind the same region. In this study, we examined the interactions between MsaB and other nutrient-sensing regulators (CodY and CcpE) with respect to binding to thecappromoter in a nutrient-dependent manner. We observed thatmsaABCRandccpEinteract in a complex fashion to regulate capsule production. However, we confirmed thatccpEdoes not bindcapdirectly. We also defined the regulatory relationship betweenmsaABCRand CodY. When nutrients (branched-chain amino acids) are abundant, CodY binds to the promoter region of thecapoperon and represses its transcription. However, when nutrient concentrations decrease, MsaB, rather than CodY, binds to thecappromoter. Binding of MsaB to thecappromoter activates transcription of thecapoperon. We hypothesize that this same mechanism may be used byS. aureusto regulate other virulence factors.IMPORTANCEFindings from this study define the mechanism of regulation of capsule production inStaphylococcus aureus. Specifically, we show that two key regulators, MsaB and CodY, coordinate their functions to control the expression of capsule in response to nutrients.S. aureusfine-tunes the production of capsule by coordinating the activity of several regulators and by sensing nutrient levels. This study demonstrates the importance of incorporating multiple inputs prior to the expression of costly virulence factors, such as capsule.

scholarly journals Repression of Capsule Production by XdrA and CodY inStaphylococcus aureus

2018 ◽  
Vol 200 (18) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mei G. Lei ◽  
Chia Y. Lee
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Regulatory Network ◽  
Promoter Region ◽  
Virulence Genes ◽  
Direct Interaction ◽  
Coding Region ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Capsule Production ◽  
Complex Regulatory Network ◽  
Broad Region

ABSTRACTCapsule is one of many virulence factors produced byStaphylococcus aureus, and its expression is highly regulated. Here, we report the repression of capsule by direct interaction of XdrA and CodY with the capsule promoter region. We found, by footprinting analyses, that XdrA repressed capsule by binding to a broad region that extended from upstream of the −35 region of the promoter to the coding region ofcapA, the first gene of the 16-genecapoperon. Footprinting analyses also revealed that CodY bound to a large region that overlapped extensively with that of XdrA. We found that repression of thecapgenes in thexdrAmutant could be achieved by the overexpression ofcodYbut not vice versa, suggestingcodYis epistatic toxdrA. However, we found XdrA had no effect on CodY expression. These results suggest that XdrA plays a secondary role in capsule regulation by promoting CodY repression of thecapgenes. Oxacillin slightly inducedxdrAexpression and reducedcappromoter activity, but the effect of oxacillin on capsule was not mediated through XdrA.IMPORTANCEStaphylococcus aureusemploys a complex regulatory network to coordinate the expression of various virulence genes to achieve successful infections. How virulence genes are coordinately regulated is still poorly understood. We have been studying capsule regulation as a model system to explore regulatory networking inS. aureus. In this study, we found that XdrA and CodY have broad binding sites that overlap extensively in the capsule promoter region. Our results also suggest that XdrA assists CodY in the repression of capsule. As capsule gene regulation by DNA-binding regulators has not been fully investigated, the results presented here fill an important knowledge gap, thereby further advancing our understanding of the global virulence regulatory network inS. aureus.

scholarly journals Discovery of Antivirulence Agents against Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus

2013 ◽  
Vol 57 (8) ◽  
pp. 3645-3652 ◽  
Author(s):  
Varandt Khodaverdian ◽  
Michelle Pesho ◽  
Barbara Truitt ◽  
Lucy Bollinger ◽  
Parita Patel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Virtual Screening ◽  
Virulence Factors ◽  
Small Molecule ◽  
Response Regulator ◽  
The United States ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Methicillin Resistant ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Antivirulence Agents

ABSTRACTAntivirulence agents inhibit the production of disease-causing virulence factors but are neither bacteriostatic nor bactericidal. Antivirulence agents against methicillin-resistantStaphylococcus aureus(MRSA) strain USA300, the most widespread community-associated MRSA strain in the United States, were discovered by virtual screening against the response regulator AgrA, which acts as a transcription factor for the expression of several of the most prominentS. aureustoxins and virulence factors involved in pathogenesis. Virtual screening was followed by similarity searches in the databases of commercial vendors. The small-molecule compounds discovered inhibit the production of the toxins alpha-hemolysin and phenol-soluble modulin α in a dose-dependent manner without inhibiting bacterial growth. These antivirulence agents are small-molecule biaryl compounds in which the aromatic rings either are fused or are separated by a short linker. One of these compounds is the FDA-approved nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug diflunisal. This represents a new use for an old drug. Antivirulence agents might be useful in prophylaxis and as adjuvants in antibiotic therapy for MRSA infections.

scholarly journals Thermal and Nutritional Regulation of Ribosome Hibernation inStaphylococcus aureus

2018 ◽  
Vol 200 (24) ◽  
Author(s):  
Arnab Basu ◽  
Kathryn E. Shields ◽  
Christopher S. Eickhoff ◽  
Daniel F. Hoft ◽  
Mee-Ngan F. Yap
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Transcription Factor ◽  
Stress Response ◽  
Nutrient Sensing ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Nutritional Regulation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
General Stress Response ◽  
Regulatory Pathways ◽  
General Stress

ABSTRACTThe translationally silent 100S ribosome is a poorly understood form of the dimeric 70S complex that is ubiquitously found in all bacterial phyla. The elimination of the hibernating 100S ribosome leads to translational derepression, ribosome instability, antibiotic sensitivity, and biofilm defects in some bacteria. InFirmicutes, such as the opportunistic pathogenStaphylococcus aureus, a 190-amino acid protein calledhibernating-promotingfactor (HPF) dimerizes and conjoins two 70S ribosomes through a direct interaction between the HPF homodimer, with each HPF monomer tethered on an individual 70S complex. While the formation of the 100S ribosome in gammaproteobacteria and cyanobacteria is exclusively induced during postexponential growth phase and darkness, respectively, the 100S ribosomes inFirmicutesare constitutively produced from the lag-logarithmic phase through the post-stationary phase. Very little is known about the regulatory pathways that controlhpfexpression and 100S ribosome abundance. Here, we show that a general stress response (GSR) sigma factor (SigB) and a GTP-sensing transcription factor (CodY) integrate nutrient and thermal signals to regulatehpfsynthesis inS. aureus, resulting in an enhanced virulence of the pathogen in a mouse model of septicemic infection. CodY-dependent regulation ofhpfis strain specific. An epistasis analysis further demonstrated that CodY functions upstream of the GSR pathway in a condition-dependent manner. The results reveal an important link betweenS. aureusstress physiology, ribosome metabolism, and infection biology.IMPORTANCEThe dimerization of 70S ribosomes (100S complex) plays an important role in translational regulation and infectivity of the major human pathogenStaphylococcus aureus. Although the dimerizing factor HPF has been characterized biochemically, the pathways that regulate 100S ribosome abundance remain elusive. We identified a metabolite- and nutrient-sensing transcription factor, CodY, that serves both as an activator and a repressor ofhpfexpression in nutrient- and temperature-dependent manners. Furthermore, CodY-mediated activation ofhpfmasks a secondaryhpftranscript derived from a general stress response SigB promoter. CodY and SigB regulate a repertoire of virulence genes. The unexpected link between ribosome homeostasis and the two master virulence regulators provides new opportunities for alternative druggable sites.

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.

scholarly journals Finding of Agr Phase Variants in Staphylococcus aureus

mBio ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Vishal Gor ◽  
Aya J. Takemura ◽  
Masami Nishitani ◽  
Masato Higashide ◽  
Veronica Medrano Romero ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Virulence Factors ◽  
Phase Variation ◽  
Accessory Gene ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Accessory Gene Regulator ◽  
Immune Mediated ◽  
A Minor ◽  
First Time ◽  
Phase Variants

ABSTRACT Staphylococcus aureus is an important human pathogen whose success is largely attributed to its vast arsenal of virulence factors that facilitate its invasion into, and survival within, the human host. The expression of these virulence factors is controlled by the quorum sensing accessory gene regulator (Agr) system. However, a large proportion of clinical S. aureus isolates are consistently found to have a mutationally inactivated Agr system. These mutants have a survival advantage in the host but are considered irreversible mutants. Here we show, for the first time, that a fraction of Agr-negative mutants can revert their Agr activity. By serially passaging Agr-negative strains and screening for phenotypic reversion of hemolysis and subsequent sequencing, we identified two mutational events responsible for reversion: a genetic duplication plus inversion event and a poly(A) tract alteration. Additionally, we demonstrate that one clinical Agr-negative methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) isolate could reproducibly generate Agr-revertant colonies with a poly(A) tract genetic mechanism. We also show that these revertants activate their Agr system upon phagocytosis. We propose a model in which a minor fraction of Agr-negative S. aureus strains are phase variants that can revert their Agr activity and may act as a cryptic insurance strategy against host-mediated stress. IMPORTANCE Staphylococcus 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-negative strains can repair their mutated agr locus with mechanisms resembling phase variation. The agr revertants sustain an Agr OFF state as long as they exist as a minority but can activate their Agr system upon phagocytosis. These revertant cells might function as a cryptic insurance strategy to survive immune-mediated host stress that arises during infection.

scholarly journals The ClpCP Complex Modulates Respiratory Metabolism inStaphylococcus aureusand Is Regulated in a SrrAB-Dependent Manner

2019 ◽  
Vol 201 (15) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ameya A. Mashruwala ◽  
Brian J. Eilers ◽  
Amanda L. Fuchs ◽  
Javiera Norambuena ◽  
Carly A. Earle ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Energy Metabolism ◽  
Energy Homeostasis ◽  
Protein Complexes ◽  
Present Report ◽  
Bacterial Pathogen ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Fermentative Growth ◽  
Increased Sensitivity

ABSTRACTThestaphylococcalrespiratoryregulator (SrrAB) modulates energy metabolism inStaphylococcus aureus. Studies have suggested that regulated protein catabolism facilitates energy homeostasis. Regulated proteolysis inS. aureusis achieved through protein complexes composed of a peptidase (ClpQ or ClpP) in association with an AAA+family ATPase (typically, ClpC or ClpX). In the present report, we tested the hypothesis that SrrAB regulates a Clp complex to facilitate energy homeostasis inS. aureus. Strains deficient in one or more Clp complexes were attenuated for growth in the presence of puromycin, which causes enrichment of misfolded proteins. A ΔsrrABstrain had increased sensitivity to puromycin. Epistasis experiments suggested that the puromycin sensitivity phenotype of the ΔsrrABstrain was a result of decreased ClpC activity. Consistent with this, transcriptional activity ofclpCwas decreased in the ΔsrrABmutant, and overexpression ofclpCsuppressed the puromycin sensitivity of the ΔsrrABstrain. We also found that ClpC positively influenced respiration and that it did so upon association with ClpP. In contrast, ClpC limited fermentative growth, while ClpP was required for optimal fermentative growth. Metabolomics studies demonstrated that intracellular metabolic profiles of the ΔclpCand ΔsrrABmutants were distinct from those of the wild-type strain, supporting the notion that both ClpC and SrrAB affect central metabolism. We propose a model wherein SrrAB regulates energy homeostasis, in part, via modulation of regulated proteolysis.IMPORTANCEOxygen is used as a substrate to derive energy by the bacterial pathogenStaphylococcus aureusduring infection; however,S. aureuscan also grow fermentatively in the absence of oxygen. To successfully cause infection,S. aureusmust tailor its metabolism to take advantage of respiratory activity. Different proteins are required for growth in the presence or absence of oxygen; therefore, when cells transition between these conditions, several proteins would be expected to become unnecessary. In this report, we show that regulated proteolysis is used to modulate energy metabolism inS. aureus. We report that the ClpCP protein complex is involved in specifically modulating aerobic respiratory growth but is dispensable for fermentative growth.

scholarly journals Disruption of Glycolysis by Nutritional Immunity Activates a Two-Component System That Coordinates a Metabolic and Antihost Response by Staphylococcus aureus

mBio ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Paola K. Párraga Solórzano ◽  
Jiangwei Yao ◽  
Charles O. Rock ◽  
Thomas E. Kehl-Fie
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Metabolic Flux ◽  
Bacterial Species ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Two Component System ◽  
Component System ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Nutritional Immunity ◽  
Two Component

ABSTRACT During infection, bacteria use two-component signal transduction systems to sense and adapt to the dynamic host environment. Despite critically contributing to infection, the activating signals of most of these regulators remain unknown. This also applies to the Staphylococcus aureus ArlRS two-component system, which contributes to virulence by coordinating the production of toxins, adhesins, and a metabolic response that enables the bacterium to overcome host-imposed manganese starvation. Restricting the availability of essential transition metals, a strategy known as nutritional immunity, constitutes a critical defense against infection. In this work, expression analysis revealed that manganese starvation imposed by the immune effector calprotectin or by the absence of glycolytic substrates activates ArlRS. Manganese starvation imposed by calprotectin also activated the ArlRS system even when glycolytic substrates were present. A combination of metabolomics, mutational analysis, and metabolic feeding experiments revealed that ArlRS is activated by alterations in metabolic flux occurring in the latter half of the glycolytic pathway. Moreover, calprotectin was found to induce expression of staphylococcal leukocidins in an ArlRS-dependent manner. These studies indicated that ArlRS is a metabolic sensor that allows S. aureus to integrate multiple environmental stresses that alter glycolytic flux to coordinate an antihost response and to adapt to manganese starvation. They also established that the latter half of glycolysis represents a checkpoint to monitor metabolic state in S. aureus. Altogether, these findings contribute to understanding how invading pathogens, such as S. aureus, adapt to the host during infection and suggest the existence of similar mechanisms in other bacterial species. IMPORTANCE Two-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 Staphylococcus aureus global regulator that contributes to virulence and to resisting host-mediated restriction of essential nutrients, such as manganese. In this report, we demonstrate that manganese starvation and the absence of glycolytic substrates activate ArlRS. Further investigations revealed that ArlRS is activated when the latter half of glycolysis is disrupted, suggesting that S. aureus monitors flux through the second half of this pathway. Host-imposed manganese starvation also induced the expression of pore-forming toxins in an ArlRS-dependent manner. Cumulatively, this work reveals that ArlRS acts as a sensor that links nutritional status, cellular metabolism, and virulence regulation.

scholarly journals Inhibition of Staphylococcus aureus Invasion into Bovine Mammary Epithelial Cells by Contact with Live Lactobacillus casei

2012 ◽  
Vol 79 (3) ◽  
pp. 877-885 ◽  
Author(s):  
Damien S. Bouchard ◽  
Lucie Rault ◽  
Nadia Berkova ◽  
Yves Le Loir ◽  
Sergine Even
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Epithelial Cells ◽  
Lactobacillus Casei ◽  
Mammary Epithelial Cells ◽  
Control Strategies ◽  
Mammary Epithelial ◽  
Dairy Herds ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Bovine Mammary Epithelial Cells

ABSTRACTStaphylococcus aureusis a major pathogen that is responsible for mastitis in dairy herds.S. aureusmastitis is difficult to treat and prone to recurrence despite antibiotic treatment. The ability ofS. aureusto invade bovine mammary epithelial cells (bMEC) is evoked to explain this chronicity. One sustainable alternative to treat or prevent mastitis is the use of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) as mammary probiotics. In this study, we tested the ability ofLactobacillus caseistrains to prevent invasion of bMEC by twoS. aureusbovine strains, RF122 and Newbould305, which reproducibly induce acute and moderate mastitis, respectively.L. caseistrains affected adhesion and/or internalization ofS. aureusin a strain-dependent manner. Interestingly,L. caseiCIRM-BIA 667 reducedS. aureusNewbould305 and RF122 internalization by 60 to 80%, and this inhibition was confirmed for two otherL. caseistrains, including one isolated from bovine teat canal. The protective effect occurred without affecting bMEC morphology and viability. Once internalized, the fate ofS. aureuswas not affected byL. casei. It should be noted thatL. caseiwas internalized at a low rate but survived in bMEC cells with a better efficiency than that ofS. aureusRF122. Inhibition ofS. aureusadhesion was maintained with heat-killedL. casei, whereas contact between liveL. caseiandS. aureusor bMEC was required to preventS. aureusinternalization. This first study of the antagonism of LAB towardS. aureusin a mammary context opens avenues for the development of novel control strategies against this major pathogen.

scholarly journals MgrA Negatively Impacts Staphylococcus aureus Invasion by Regulating Capsule and FnbA

2019 ◽  
Vol 87 (12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mei G. Lei ◽  
Dereje D. Gudeta ◽  
Thanh T. Luong ◽  
Chia Y. Lee
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Hela Cells ◽  
Biological Significance ◽  
Surface Protein ◽  
Surface Proteins ◽  
Multiple Gene ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Fibronectin Binding Protein ◽  
Different Levels ◽  
Complex Regulatory Network

ABSTRACT Virulence genes are regulated by a complex regulatory network in Staphylococcus aureus. Some of the regulators are global in nature and affect many downstream genes. MgrA is a multiple-gene regulator that has been shown to activate genes involved in capsule biosynthesis and repress surface protein genes. The goal of this study was to demonstrate the biological significance of MgrA regulation of capsule and surface proteins. We found that strain Becker possessed one fibronectin-binding protein, FnbA, and that FnbA was the predominant protein involved in invasion of nonphagocytic HeLa cells. By genetic analysis of strains with different amounts of capsule, we demonstrated that capsule impeded invasion of HeLa cells by masking the bacterial cell wall-anchored protein FnbA. Using variants with different levels of mgrA transcription, we further demonstrated that MgrA negatively impacted invasion by activating the cap genes involved in capsule biosynthesis and repressing the fnbA gene. Thus, we conclude that MgrA negatively impacts cell invasion of S. aureus Becker by promoting capsule and repressing FnbA.

scholarly journals Dynamic Relay of Protein-Bound Lipoic Acid in Staphylococcus aureus

2019 ◽  
Vol 201 (22) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei Ping Teoh ◽  
Zachary J. Resko ◽  
Sarah Flury ◽  
Francis Alonzo
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Lipoic Acid ◽  
Organosulfur Compound ◽  
Metabolic Enzyme ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Evolutionarily Conserved ◽  
Enzyme Subunits ◽  
Glycine Cleavage ◽  
Branched Chain ◽  
Host Infection

ABSTRACT Staphylococcus aureus competes for myriad essential nutrients during host infection. One of these nutrients is the organosulfur compound lipoic acid, a cofactor required for the activity of several metabolic enzyme complexes. In S. aureus, these include the E2 subunits of three α-ketoacid dehydrogenases and two H proteins, GcvH of the glycine cleavage system and its paralog, GcvH-L. We previously determined that the S. aureus amidotransferase LipL is required for lipoylation of the E2 subunits of pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) and branched-chain 2-oxoacid dehydrogenase (BCODH) complexes. The results from this study, coupled with those from Bacillus subtilis, suggested that LipL catalyzes lipoyl transfer from H proteins to E2 subunits. However, to date, the range of LipL targets, the extent of LipL-dependent lipoic acid shuttling between lipoyl domain-containing proteins, and the importance of lipoyl relay in pathogenesis remain unknown. Here, we demonstrate that LipL uses both lipoyl-H proteins as the substrates for lipoyl transfer to all E2 subunits. Moreover, LipL facilitates lipoyl relay between E2 subunits and between H proteins, a property that potentially constitutes an adaptive response to nutrient scarcity in the host, as LipL is required for virulence during infection. Together, these observations support a role for LipL in facilitating flexible lipoyl relay between proteins and highlight the complexity of protein lipoylation in S. aureus. IMPORTANCE Protein lipoylation is a posttranslational modification that is evolutionarily conserved from bacteria to humans. Lipoic acid modifications are found on five proteins in S. aureus, four of which are components of major metabolic enzymes. In some bacteria, the amidotransferase LipL is critical for the attachment of lipoic acid to these proteins, and yet it is unclear to what extent LipL facilitates the transfer of this cofactor. We find that S. aureus LipL flexibly shuttles lipoic acid among metabolic enzyme subunits, alluding to a dynamic redistribution mechanism within the bacterial cell. This discovery exemplifies a potential means by which bacteria optimize the use of scarce nutrients when resources are limited.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document