Adaptation of Staphylococcus aureus to the Human Skin Environment Identified Using an ex vivo Tissue Model.

ABSTRACT: The healthy human epidermis provides physical protection and is impenetrable for pathogenic microbes. Nevertheless, commensal and pathogen bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus are able to colonize the skin surface, which may subsequently lead to infection. To identify and characterize regulatory elements facilitating adaptation of S. aureus to the human skin environment we used ex vivo tissue explants and quantified S. aureus gene transcription during co-culture. This analysis provided evidence for a significant downregulation of the global virulence regulator agr upon initial contact with skin, regardless of the growth phase of S. aureus prior to co-culture. In contrast, the alternative sigma factor B (sigB) and the antimicrobial peptide-

SUBMITTER: Burian M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8490888 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature