We found a match
Your institution may have rights to this item. Sign in to continue.
- Title
Mobile Genetic Element SCC mec-encoded psm-mec RNA Suppresses Translation of agrA and Attenuates MRSA Virulence.
- Authors
Kaito, Chikara; Saito, Yuki; Ikuo, Mariko; Omae, Yosuke; Han Mao; Nagano, Gentaro; Fujiyuki, Tomoko; Numata, Shunsuke; Xiao Han; Obata, Kazuaki; Hasegawa, Setsuo; Yamaguchi, Hiroki; Inokuchi, Koiti; Ito, Teruyo; Hiramatsu, Keiichi; Sekimizu, Kazuhisa
- Abstract
Community acquired-methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) is a socially problematic pathogen that infects healthy individuals, causing severe disease. CA-MRSA is more virulent than hospital associated-MRSA (HA-MRSA). The underlying mechanism for the high virulence of CA-MRSA is not known. The transcription product of the psm-mec gene, located in the mobile genetic element SCCmec of HA-MRSA, but not CA-MRSA, suppresses the expression of phenol-soluble modulin α (PSMα), a cytolytic toxin of S. aureus. Here we report that psm-mec RNA inhibits translation of the agrA gene encoding a positive transcription factor for the PSMα gene via specific binding to agrA mRNA. Furthermore, 25% of 325 clinical MRSA isolates had a mutation in the psm-mec promoter that attenuated transcription, and 9% of the strains had no psm-mec. In most of these psm-mec-mutated or psm-mec-deleted HA-MRSAs, PSMα expression was increased compared with strains carrying intact psm-mec, and some mutated strains produced high amounts of PSMα comparable with that of CA-MRSA. Deletion of psm-mec from HA-MRSA strains carrying intact psm-mec increased the expression of AgrA protein and PSMα, and virulence in mice. Thus, psm-mec RNA suppresses MRSA virulence via inhibition of agrA translation and the absence of psm-mec function in CA-MRSA causes its high virulence property.
- Subjects
MOBILE genetic elements; DNA; RNA; NUCLEIC acids; METHICILLIN-resistant staphylococcus aureus
- Publication
PLoS Pathogens, 2013, Vol 9, Issue 4, p1
- ISSN
1553-7366
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1371/journal.ppat.1003269