Production of capsular polysaccharide does not influence Staphylococcus aureus vancomycin susceptibility.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Diverse mechanisms (increased cell wall thickness, low cross linking, decreased autolysis, etc.) have been reported for Staphylococcus aureus strains with intermediate vancomycin susceptibility (VISA). This study was conducted to identify common mechanisms responsible for decreased vancomycin susceptibility in a VISA strain pair.

Results

Transcriptional profiling of the clinical heterogeneous VISA isolate SA137/93A and its spontaneous homogeneous mutant strain SA137/93G pointed to an increased capsule production in the strain pair compared to a susceptible control. Furthermore, transcript quantification of the gene cap5E, which is essential for capsule biosynthesis, revealed elevated levels in the VISA strains SA137/93A, SA137/93G and Mu50 in comparison with susce

SUBMITTER: Jansen A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3617075 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature