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Accessory gene regulator locus of Staphylococcus intermedius.

ABSTRACT: The accessory gene regulator (agr) locus, a candidate system for the regulation of the production of virulence factors in Staphylococcus intermedius, has been characterized. Using PCR-based genome walking, we have obtained the first complete sequence (3,436 bp) of the accessory gene regulator (agr) gene in this organism. Sequence analysis of the agr gene has identified five open reading frames (ORFs), agrB, agrD, agrC, agrA, and hld. The translated ORF contained amino acid motifs characteristic of the response regulator and histidine protein kinase signal transducer of the classic two-component regulatory system. Sequencing of the agrD PCR products amplified from DNA from 20 different isolates has facilitated detection of genetic variation in the putative autoinducing peptide (AIP) within the agr gene of S. intermedius, revealing the presence of at least three agr specificity groups within this species. Classification of the agr gene from S. intermedius was supported by phylogenetic analysis. Real-time PCR also revealed that the effector molecule of the agr system, RNAIII, was regulated in an autocrine manner in S. intermedius and demonstrated positive correlation with the temporal gene expression patterns of luk and entC. Transcription of RNAIII was also dependent on self secreted cues. Cyclic self and nonself peptides were synthesized on the basis of the novel AIPs produced by S. intermedius, which lack the cysteine necessary to form the thiolactone ring in analogous peptides from Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis. Experiments with these synthetic cyclic peptides indicated that self peptides led to up-regulation of RNAIII--findings in support of the assumption that activation of the agr gene is initiated by growth- and species-specific factors generated during bacterial growth.

SUBMITTER: Sung JM

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1459752 | biostudies-literature | 2006 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Accessory gene regulator locus of Staphylococcus intermedius.

Sung Julia M L JM Chantler Peter D PD Lloyd David H DH

Infection and immunity 20060501 5

The accessory gene regulator (agr) locus, a candidate system for the regulation of the production of virulence factors in Staphylococcus intermedius, has been characterized. Using PCR-based genome walking, we have obtained the first complete sequence (3,436 bp) of the accessory gene regulator (agr) gene in this organism. Sequence analysis of the agr gene has identified five open reading frames (ORFs), agrB, agrD, agrC, agrA, and hld. The translated ORF contained amino acid motifs characteristic ...[more]

PMID: 16622233

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Project description:BackgroundStaphylococcus pseudintermedius (SP) is the major pathogenic species of dogs involved in a wide variety of skin and soft tissue infections. The accessory gene regulator (agr) locus of Staphylococcus aureus has been extensively studied, and it influences the expression of many virulence genes. It encodes a two-component signal transduction system that leads to down-regulation of surface proteins and up-regulation of secreted proteins during in vitro growth of S. aureus. The objective of this study was to detect and sequence analyzing the AgrA, B, and D of SP isolated from canine skin infections.Materials and methodsIn this study, we have isolated and identified SP from canine pyoderma and otitis cases by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and confirmed by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism. Primers for SP agrA and agrBD genes were designed using online primer designing software and BLAST searched for its specificity. Amplification of the agr genes was carried out for 53 isolates of SP by PCR and sequencing of agrA, B, and D were carried out for five isolates and analyzed using DNAstar and Mega5.2 software.ResultsA total of 53 (59%) SP isolates were obtained from 90 samples. 15 isolates (28%) were confirmed to be methicillin-resistant SP (MRSP) with the detection of the mecA gene. Accessory gene regulator A, B, and D genes were detected in all the SP isolates. Complete nucleotide sequences of the above three genes for five isolates were submitted to GenBank, and their accession numbers are from KJ133557 to KJ133571. AgrA amino acid sequence analysis showed that it is mainly made of alpha-helices and is hydrophilic in nature. AgrB is a transmembrane protein, and AgrD encodes the precursor of the autoinducing peptide (AIP). Sequencing of the agrD gene revealed that the 5 canine SP strains tested could be divided into three Agr specificity groups (RIPTSTGFF, KIPTSTGFF, and RIPISTGFF) based on the putative AIP produced by each strain. The AIP of SP contains serine and produce lactone ring structured AIP.ConclusionPresence of AgrA, B, and D in all SP isolates implies the importance of this regulatory system in the virulence genes expression of the SP bacteria. SP isolates can be typed based on the AgrD auto-inducible protein sequences as it is being carried out for typing of S. aureus isolates. However, further studies are required to elucidate the mechanism of controlling of virulence genes by agr gene locus in the pathogenesis of soft tissue infection by SP.

Project description:UNLABELLED:Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is responsible for most of the definable cases of antibiotic- and hospital-associated diarrhea worldwide and is a frequent cause of morbidity and mortality in older patients. C. difficile, a multidrug-resistant anaerobic pathogen, causes disease by producing toxins A and B, which are controlled by an accessory gene regulator (Agr) quorum signaling system. Some C. difficile strains encode two Agr loci in their genomes, designated agr1 and agr2 The agr1 locus is present in all of the C. difficile strains sequenced to date, whereas the agr2 locus is present in a few strains. The functional roles of agr1 and agr2 in C. difficile toxin regulation and pathogenesis were unknown until now. Using allelic exchange, we deleted components of both agr loci and examined the mutants for toxin production and virulence. The results showed that the agr1 mutant cannot produce toxins A and B; toxin production can be restored by complementation with wild-type agr1 Furthermore, the agr1 mutant is able to colonize but unable to cause disease in a murine CDI model. These findings have profound implications for CDI treatment because we have uncovered a promising therapeutic target for the development of nonantibiotic drugs to treat this life-threatening emerging pathogen by targeting the toxins directly responsible for disease. IMPORTANCE:Within the last decade, the number of cases of C. difficile infections has been increasing exponentially in the United States, resulting in about 4.8 billion U.S. dollars in health care costs annually. As a multidrug-resistant, spore-forming, anaerobic pathogen, C. difficile overpopulates the colon after the gut microbiota has been altered by antibiotic therapy. With increasing resistance to antibiotic treatment of C. difficile infections, patients are experiencing higher costs of health care and a lower quality of life as treatment options decrease. During infection, C. difficile produces toxins A and B, which directly cause disease. As a result, the toxins have become promising nonantibiotic treatment targets. Here, we have identified a pathway responsible for activating the production of the toxins. This important finding opens up a unique therapeutic target for the development of a novel nonantibiotic therapy for C. difficile infections.

Project description:BackgroundStaphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) with accessory gene regulator (agr) dysfunction occurs in health care settings. This study evaluated the prevalence and the molecular and drug resistance characteristics of S. aureus with dysfunctional agr in a pediatric population in Beijing, China.ResultsA total of 269 nonduplicate S. aureus clinical isolates were isolated from Beijing Children's Hospital, including 211 methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) from September 2010-2017 and 58 methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA) from February 2016-2017. Only 8 MRSA and 2 MSSA isolates were identified as agr dysfunction, and the overall prevalence rate was 3.7%. For MRSA isolates, ST59-SCCmec IV and ST239-SCCmec III were the most common clones, and the prevalence rate of agr dysfunction in ST239-SCCmec III isolates (17.39%) was significantly higher than in ST59-SCCmec IV (1.69%) and other genotype strains (P = 0.006). Among the agr dysfunctional isolates, only one MRSA ST59 isolate and one MSSA ST22 isolate harbored pvl. No significant difference was detected between agr dysfunction and agr functional isolates regarding the biofilm formation ability (P = 0.4972); however, 9/10 agr dysfunctional isolates could effectuate strong biofilm formation and multidrug resistance. Among MRSA, the non-susceptibility rates to ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole were significantly higher in agr dysfunctional isolates than in isolates with functional agr (P < 0.05). Two isolates belonging to ST239 had no mutations in agr locus, but a synonymous mutation was found in agrA in another ST239 isolate. The inactivating mutations were detected in other seven agr dysfunctional isolates. The variants were characterized by non-synonymous changes (n = 5) and frameshift mutations (insertions, n = 2), which mainly occurred in agrC and agrA.ConclusionsThe results showed that agr dysfunctional S. aureus was not common in Chinese children, and ST59-SCCmec IV was associated with lower prevalence of agr dysfunction as compared to ST239-SCCmec III isolates. The agr dysfunctional isolates were healthcare-associated, multidrug resistant and form strong biofilm, which suggested that agr dysfunction might offer potential advantages for S. aureus to survive in a medical environment.

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Accessory gene regulator locus of Staphylococcus intermedius.

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Accessory gene regulator locus of Staphylococcus intermedius.

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