Characterisation of <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> Strains and Their Prophages That Carry Horse-Specific Leukocidin Genes <i>lukP/Q</i>.

ABSTRACT: Leukocidins of Staphylococcus (S.) aureus are bicomponent toxins that form polymeric pores in host leukocyte membranes, leading to cell death and/or triggering apoptosis. Some of these toxin genes are located on prophages and are associated with specific hosts. The genes lukP/Q have been described from equine S. aureus isolates. We examined the genomes, including the lukP/Q prophages, of S. aureus strains belonging to clonal complexes CC1, CC350, CC816, and CC8115. In addition to sequencing, phages were characterised by mitomycin C induction and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). All lukP/Q prophages integrated into the lip2=geh gene, and all included also the gene scn-eq encoding an equine staphylococcal com

SUBMITTER: Monecke S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11769447 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature