The Staphylococcus aureus cidAB operon: evaluation of its role in regulation of murein hydrolase activity and penicillin tolerance.

ABSTRACT: Recent studies have shown that expression of the Staphylococcus aureus lrgAB operon inhibits murein hydrolase activity and decreases sensitivity to penicillin-induced killing. It was proposed that the lrgAB gene products function in a manner analogous to an antiholin, inhibiting a putative holin from transporting murein hydrolases out of the cell. In the present study the cidAB operon was identified and characterized based on the similarity of the cidA and cidB gene products to the products of the lrgAB operon. Zymographic and quantitative analyses of murein hydrolase activity revealed that mutation of the cidA gene results in decreased extracellular murein hydrolase activity compared to that of S. aureus RN6390, the parental strain. Complementation of cidA expression restored the wild-typ

SUBMITTER: Rice KC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC152627 | biostudies-literature | 2003 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature