Interactions between Helcococcus kunzii and Staphylococcus aureus: How a commensal bacterium modulates the virulence and metabolism of a pathogen in a chronic wound in vitro model.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Staphylococcus aureus is the predominant pathogen isolated in diabetic foot infections. Recently, the skin commensal bacterium, Helcococcus kunzii, was found to modulate the virulence of this pathogen in an in vivo model. This study aims to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the interaction between these two bacterial species, using a proteomic approach.

Results

Our results reveal that H. kunzii can coexist and proliferate alongside S. aureus in a Chronic Wound Media (CWM), thereby mimicking an in vitro chronic wound environment. We noted that the secreted proteome of H. kunzii induced a transcriptional effect on S. aureus virulence, resulting in a decrease in the expression level of agrA, a gene involved in quorum sensing. The observed effect could be

SUBMITTER: Durand BARN 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11468182 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature