MroQ Is a Novel Abi-Domain Protein That Influences Virulence Gene Expression in Staphylococcus aureus via Modulation of Agr Activity.

ABSTRACT: Numerous factors have, to date, been identified as playing a role in the regulation of Agr activity in Staphylococcus aureus, including transcription factors, antisense RNAs, and host elements. Herein we investigated the product of SAUSA300_1984 (termed MroQ), a transmembrane Abi-domain/M79 protease-family protein, as a novel effector of this system. Using a USA300 mroQ mutant, we observed a drastic reduction in proteolysis, hemolysis, and pigmentation that was fully complementable. This appears to result from diminished agr activity, as transcriptional analysis revealed significant decreases in expression of both RNAII and RNAIII in the mroQ mutant. Such effects appear to be direct, rather than indirect, as known agr effectors demonstrated limited altera

SUBMITTER: Marroquin S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6479029 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature