Differential regulation of staphylococcal virulence by the sensor kinase SaeS in response to neutrophil-derived stimuli.

ABSTRACT: Two-component systems (TCSs) are highly conserved across bacteria and are used to rapidly sense and respond to changing environmental conditions. The human pathogen Staphylococcus aureus uses the S. aureus exoprotein expression (sae) TCS to sense host signals and activate transcription of virulence factors essential to pathogenesis. Despite its importance, the mechanism by which the histidine kinase SaeS recognizes specific host stimuli is unknown. After mutagenizing the predicted extracellular loop of SaeS, we discovered one methionine residue (M31) was essential for the ability of S. aureus to transcribe sae target genes, including hla, lukAB/lukGH, and hlgA. This single M31A mutation also significantly reduced cytotoxicity in human neutrophils to levels observed in cells following inter

SUBMITTER: Flack CE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4024872 | biostudies-literature | 2014 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature