Evolutionary genetics of the accessory gene regulator (agr) locus in Staphylococcus aureus.

ABSTRACT: The accessory gene regulator (agr) locus influences the expression of many virulence genes in the human pathogen Staphylococcus aureus. Four allelic groups of agr, which generally inhibit the regulatory activity of each other, have been identified within the species. Interference in virulence gene expression caused by different agr groups has been suggested to be a mechanism for isolating bacterial populations and a fundamental basis for subdividing the species. To test the hypothesis that the species is phylogenetically structured according to agr groups, we mapped agr groups onto a clone phylogeny inferred from partial sequences of 14 genes from 27 genetically diverse strains. Shimodaira-Hasegawa and parametric bootstrap tests rejected the hypotheses that the species is subdivided into t

SUBMITTER: Robinson DA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1317016 | biostudies-literature | 2005 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature