Analysis of the genetic variability of genes encoding the RNA III-activating components Agr and TRAP in a population of Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from cows with mastitis.

ABSTRACT: The expression of Staphylococcus aureus virulence proteins is under the control of RNA III, a central pleiotropic regulator transcribed from the agr locus. RNA III is activated by at least two two-component systems, one encoded by the agr locus (AgrC-AgrA) and another encoded outside of this locus (TRAP-RAP). In this work, we developed new typing methods based on genes encoding these two systems, which we used to characterize a nonclonal population of S. aureus bovine mastitis isolates. Twelve agr restriction types were identified in this population, but the majority of strains (56.3%) were grouped in the R III-A1 type. No strain isolated from humans, whose agr sequence is available from GenBank, was found to belong to this major type. Restriction maps constructed for all of those agr vari

SUBMITTER: Gilot P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC139642 | biostudies-literature | 2002 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature