Inactivation of the exogenous fatty acid utilization pathway leads to increased resistance to unsaturated fatty acids in Staphylococcus aureus.

ABSTRACT: The human pathogen Staphylococcus aureus produces saturated fatty acids, but can incorporate both exogenous saturated and unsaturated fatty acids into its lipid membrane. S. aureus encounters unsaturated fatty acids in the host skin where they serve as an innate immune defence due to their toxicity. Previously, we identified a fatty acid kinase in S. aureus that is necessary for the utilization of exogenous fatty acids. The goal of this study was to determine the effects of fatty acids on mutants deficient in the exogenous fatty acid utilization machinery. We have demonstrated that mutants lacking a functional fatty acid kinase (fakA) or both fatty acid carrier proteins (fakB1 fakB2) are more resistant to unsaturated fatty acids. Previous studies suggested a role for ammonia-producing enzy

SUBMITTER: Krute CN 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6600405 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature