Work

Role of the Accessory Gene Regulator agr in Community-Associated Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Pathogenesis

Year: 2011

Type: article

Abstract: The molecular basis underlying the pathogenic success of community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) is not completely understood, but differential gene expression has been suggested to account at least in part for the high virulence of CA-MRSA strains. Here, we show that the agr gene regulatory system has a crucial role in the development of skin infections in the most prevalent CA-MRSA strain USA300. Importantly, our data indicate that this is due to discrepancies between the agr regulon of CA-MRSA and those of hospital-associated MRSA and laboratory strains. In particular, agr regulation in strain USA300 led to exceptionally strong expression of toxins and exoenzymes, upregulation of fibrinogen-binding proteins, increased capacity to bind fibrinogen, and increased expression of methicillin resistance genes. Our findings demonstrate that agr functionality is critical for CA-MRSA disease and indicate that an adaptation of the agr regulon contributed to the evolution of highly pathogenic CA-MRSA.

Source: Infection and Immunity

DOI: 10.1128/iai.00046-11

Authors: Gordon Y. C. Cheung, Rong Wang, Burhan A. Khan, Daniel E. Sturdevant, Michael Otto

Institutions: National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories

Language: English

Topic: Antimicrobial Resistance in Staphylococcus

Subfield: Infectious Diseases

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funders: National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases