Dataset Information

Staphylococcus aureus ?-toxin production is common in strains with the ?-toxin gene inactivated by bacteriophage.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Staphylococcus aureus causes life-threatening infections, including infective endocarditis, sepsis, and pneumonia. ?-toxin is a sphingomyelinase encoded for by virtually all S. aureus strains and exhibits human immune cell cytotoxicity. The toxin enhances S. aureus phenol-soluble modulin activity, and its activity is enhanced by superantigens. The bacteriophage ?Sa3 inserts into the ?-toxin gene in human strains, inactivating it in the majority of S. aureus clonal groups. Hence, most strains are reported not to secrete ?-toxin.

Methods

This dynamic was investigated by examining ?-toxin production by multiple clonal groups of S. aureus, both in vitro and in vivo during infections in rabbit models of infective endocarditis, sepsis, and pneumonia.

Results

?-toxin phenotypic variants are common among strains containing ?Sa3. In vivo, ?Sa3 is differentially induced in heart vegetations, kidney abscesses, and ischemic liver compared to spleen and blood, and in vitro growth in liquid culture. Furthermore, in pneumonia, wild-type ?-toxin production leads to development of large caseous lesions, and in infective endocarditis, increases the size of pathognomonic vegetations.

Conclusions

This study demonstrates the dynamic interaction between S. aureus and the infected host, where ?Sa3 serves as a regulator of virulence gene expression, and increased fitness and virulence in new environments.

SUBMITTER: Salgado-Pabon W

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4202305 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Staphylococcus aureus β-toxin production is common in strains with the β-toxin gene inactivated by bacteriophage.

Salgado-Pabón Wilmara W Herrera Alfa A Vu Bao G BG Stach Christopher S CS Merriman Joseph A JA Spaulding Adam R AR Schlievert Patrick M PM

The Journal of infectious diseases 20140311 5

<h4>Background</h4>Staphylococcus aureus causes life-threatening infections, including infective endocarditis, sepsis, and pneumonia. β-toxin is a sphingomyelinase encoded for by virtually all S. aureus strains and exhibits human immune cell cytotoxicity. The toxin enhances S. aureus phenol-soluble modulin activity, and its activity is enhanced by superantigens. The bacteriophage φSa3 inserts into the β-toxin gene in human strains, inactivating it in the majority of S. aureus clonal groups. Henc ...[more]

PMID: 24620023

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