CvfA protein and polynucleotide phosphorylase act in an opposing manner to regulate Staphylococcus aureus virulence.

ABSTRACT: We previously identified CvfA (SA1129) as a Staphylococcus aureus virulence factor using a silkworm infection model. S. aureus cvfA-deleted mutants exhibit decreased expression of the agr locus encoding a positive regulator of hemolysin genes and decreased hemolysin production. CvfA protein hydrolyzes a 2',3'-cyclic phosphodiester bond at the RNA 3' terminus, producing RNA with a 3'-phosphate (3'-phosphorylated RNA, RNA with a 3'-phosphate). Here, we report that the cvfA-deleted mutant phenotype (decreased agr expression and hemolysin production) was suppressed by disrupting pnpA-encoding polynucleotide phosphorylase (PNPase) with 3'- to 5'-exonuclease activity. The suppression was blocked by introducing a pnpA-encoding PNPase with exonuclease activity but not by a pnpA-encoding mutant PNP

SUBMITTER: Numata S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3961667 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature