Theagr P2 operon: An autocatalytic sensory transduction system inStaphylococcus aureus

Projan, Steven J.; Kornblum, John; Ross, Hope F.; Ji, Guangyong; Kreiswirth, Barry N.; Vandenesch, François; Moghazeh, Soraya L.; Novick, Richard P.

doi:10.1007/bf02191645

Cited by 412 publications

(390 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…Such a three-component regulatory system involving a pheromone peptide and a cognate signal-transducing network not only seems to be frequently used in the regulation of bacteriocin production from different species (Kleerebezem et al, 1997), but has also been found to play key roles in other biological pathways. Examples are the com and agr systems that control competence development in streptococci and the expression of virulence proteins during stationary growth phase in Staphylococcus aureus, respectively (Novick et al, 1995 ;Pestova et al, 1996). For the sakacin A system, however, the question remains whether the temperature ' switch ' has some function in vivo, and\or if the system works as a quorum-sensing device as suggested for the nisin system (Kuipers et al, 1995 ;Kleerebezem et al, 1997).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The synthesis of the bacteriocin sakacin A is a temperature-sensitive process regulated by a pheromone peptide through a three-component regulatory system

Axelsson²,

et al. 2000

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Sakacin A is a bacteriocin produced by Lactobacillus sakei Lb706. The gene cluster (sap) encompasses a regulatory unit composed of three consecutive genes, orf4 and sapKR. sapKR encode a histidine protein kinase and a response regulator, while orf4 encodes the putative precursor of a 23-amino-acid cationic peptide (termed Sap-Ph). The authors show that Sap-Ph serves as a pheromone regulating bacteriocin production. Lb706 produced bacteriocin when the growth temperature was kept at 25 or 30 SC, but production was reduced or absent at higher temperatures (33 5-35 SC). Production was restored by lowering the growth temperature to 30 SC, but at temperatures of 33-34 SC also by adding exogenous Sap-Ph to the growth medium. A knock-out mutation in orf4 abolished sakacin A production. Exogenously added Sap-Ph complemented this mutation, unambiguously showing the essential role of this peptide for bacteriocin production. Another sakacin A producer, Lactobacillus curvatus LTH1174, had a similar response to temperature and exogenously added Sap-Ph.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The synthesis of the bacteriocin sakacin A is a temperature-sensitive process regulated by a pheromone peptide through a three-component regulatory system

Axelsson²,

et al. 2000

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“…Like IP genes, the pheromone genes in B. subtilis and S. aureus are on the same transcriptional unit as the genes encoding the two-component system that they activate. In addition, a fourth gene, presumably involved in processing and modification of the prepeptide, is present in these transcriptional units (Magnuson et al, 1994;Ji et al, 1995;Novick et al, 1995). An interesting similarity between all the systems discussed above lies in the fact that their histidine kinase receptors share a similar topology, which differs from the topology of most membrane-associated histidine kinases (for details, see Håvarstein et al, 1996).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pheromone‐induced production of antimicrobial peptides in Lactobacillus

Brurberg

Nes

Eijsink

1997

Molecular Microbiology

158

176

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SummaryProduction of the bacteriocin sakacin P by Lactobacillus sake LTH673 is dependent on a secreted 19-residue peptide pheromone (IP-673). The gene encoding IP-673 (sppIP ) was identified and sequenced. SppIP was shown to be co-transcribed with genes encoding a histidine kinase (sppK ) and a response regulator (sppR ) typical for signal transduction in bacteria. Further sequencing and transcription studies have shown that IP-673 induces transcription of its own gene and of what are often considered to be all genes necessary for bacteriocin production and immunity. Studies with a reporter gene showed that the promoter in front of the sakacin P structural gene (sppA) is strictly regulated. The promoter in front of sppIP turned out to be less strictly regulated, and low basal promoter activity could be detected in uninduced cells. Bacteriocin production in Bac ¹ isolates of L. plantarum C11 could be induced by the non-cognate IP-673 only after the introduction of sppK, indicating that sppK encodes the pheromone receptor. These results show that bacteriocin production in lactobacilli is regulated using a short, strain-specific peptide pheromone. Growth conditions were shown to have considerable effects on the functionality of this regulatory mechanism.

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“…The expression of all psm genes is controlled by the Agr system for quorum sensing (8,(11)(12)(13). This system modulates gene expression such that cell wall-associated virulence factors (e.g., the immunoglobulin G-binding protein A) are most highly expressed at low cell densities and that secreted virulence factors (e.g., the PSMs) are most highly expressed at high cell densities (14)(15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21).…”

Section: S Taphylococcus Aureus Is An Opportunistic Human Pathogen Thatmentioning

confidence: 99%

Distinct Roles of Phenol-Soluble Modulins in Spreading of Staphylococcus aureus on Wet Surfaces

Tsompanidou

Denham

Becher

et al. 2013

Appl Environ Microbiol

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The human pathogen Staphylococcus aureus is renowned for the rapid colonization of contaminated wounds, medical implants, and food products. Nevertheless, little is known about the mechanisms that allow S. aureus to colonize the respective wet surfaces. The present studies were therefore aimed at identifying factors used by S. aureus cells to spread over wet surfaces, starting either from planktonic or biofilm-associated states. Through proteomics analyses we pinpoint phenol-soluble modulins (PSMs) as prime facilitators of the spreading process. To dissect the roles of the eight PSMs produced by S. aureus, these peptides were chemically synthesized and tested in spreading assays with different psm mutant strains. The results show that PSM␣3 and PSM␥ are the strongest facilitators of spreading both for planktonic cells and cells in catheter-associated biofilms. Compared to the six other PSMs of S. aureus, PSM␣3 and PSM␥ combine strong surfactant activities with a relatively low overall hydropathicity. Importantly, we show that PSM-mediated motility of S. aureus facilitates the rapid colonization of wet surfaces next to catheters and the colonization of fresh meat. S taphylococcus aureus is an opportunistic human pathogen thatcan cause a wide range of acute and chronic diseases, which range from superficial skin infections to life-threatening endocarditis and sepsis (1, 2). The ability of this Gram-positive bacterium to cause these infections depends on the production of secreted and cell wall-associated virulence factors. Of increasing concern is the ability of S. aureus to acquire resistance against antibiotics, as underscored by the global spread of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) lineages.Intriguingly, recent proteomics studies have revealed an enormous diversity in the production of virulence factors by different isolates of S. aureus, and only a few of these seem to be invariantly produced (3-5). Among the most commonly identified staphylococcal virulence factors, especially in the community-associated (CA)-MRSA lineages, are the so-called phenol-soluble modulins (PSMs) (6). These PSMs are short, amphipathic, ␣-helical peptides that have leukocidal activity and biosurfactant properties (7-9). The growth media of S. aureus cultures contain both N-terminally formylated and deformylated PSMs, suggesting that these virulence factors are substrates for the bacterial N-formylmethionine deformylase (9, 10).To date, eight PSMs have been identified in S. aureus. These include the four PSM␣1 to PSM␣4 peptides (22 residues each), the PSM␤1 and PSM␤2 peptides (44 residues each), PSM␥ (25 residues) and the recently reported PSM-mec (22 residues). The PSM␣ peptides are encoded by the psm␣ operon, the PSM␤ peptides by the psm␤ operon, and PSM␥ by the hld gene. Notably, the hld gene is embedded within the regulatory RNAIII molecule that is encoded by the agr locus. The gene for PSM-mec was identified in MRSA strains carrying the staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) types II or III. The expression of all ps...

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Theagr P2 operon: An autocatalytic sensory transduction system inStaphylococcus aureus

Cited by 412 publications

References 33 publications

The synthesis of the bacteriocin sakacin A is a temperature-sensitive process regulated by a pheromone peptide through a three-component regulatory system

The synthesis of the bacteriocin sakacin A is a temperature-sensitive process regulated by a pheromone peptide through a three-component regulatory system

Pheromone‐induced production of antimicrobial peptides in Lactobacillus

Distinct Roles of Phenol-Soluble Modulins in Spreading of Staphylococcus aureus on Wet Surfaces

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