Work

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

Year: 2014

Type: article

Abstract: Staphylococcus aureus small-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 five S. aureus SCV 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.

Source: Infection and Immunity

DOI: 10.1128/iai.01487-13

Authors: Melissa A. Dean, Randall J. Olsen, S. Wesley Long, Adriana E. Rosato, James M. Musser

Institutions: Houston Methodist, Houston Methodist Research Institute

Language: English

Topic: Antimicrobial Resistance in Staphylococcus

Subfield: Infectious Diseases

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: bronze

Funders: Houston Methodist Hospital, National Institutes of Health, Houston Methodist Research Institute, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases