Modelled-Microgravity Reduces Virulence Factor Production in Staphylococcus aureus through Downregulation of agr-Dependent Quorum Sensing.

ABSTRACT: Bacterial contamination during space missions is problematic for human health and damages filters and other vital support systems. Staphylococcus aureus is both a human commensal and an opportunistic pathogen that colonizes human tissues and causes acute and chronic infections. Virulence and colonization factors are positively and negatively regulated, respectively, by bacterial cell-to-cell communication (quorum sensing) via the agr (accessory gene regulator) system. When cultured under low-shear modelled microgravity conditions (LSMMG), S. aureus has been reported to maintain a colonization rather than a pathogenic phenotype. Here, we show that the modulation of agr expression via reduced production of autoinducing peptide (AIP) signal molecules was responsibl

SUBMITTER: Green MJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10648752 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature