Project description:The skin colonizing coagulase-negative Staphylococcus epidermidis causes nosocomial infections and is an important opportunistic and highly adaptable pathogen. To gain more insight into this species, we sequenced the genome of the biofilm positive, methicillin susceptible S. epidermidis O47 strain (hereafter O47). This strain belongs to the most frequently isolated sequence type 2. In comparison to the RP62A strain, O47 can be transformed, which makes it a preferred strain for molecular studies. S. epidermidis O47's genome has a single chromosome of about 2.5 million base pairs and no plasmid. Its oriC sequence has the same directionality as S. epidermidis RP62A, S. carnosus, S. haemolyticus, S. saprophyticus and is inverted in comparison to Staphylococcus aureus and S. epidermidis ATCC 12228. A phylogenetic analysis based on all S. epidermidis genomes currently available at GenBank revealed that O47 is closest related to DAR1907. The genome of O47 contains genes for the typical global regulatory systems known in staphylococci. In addition, it contains most of the genes encoding for the typical virulence factors for S. epidermidis but not for S. aureus with the exception of a putative hemolysin III. O47 has the typical S. epidermidis genetic islands and several mobile genetic elements, which include staphylococcal cassette chromosome (SCC) of about 54 kb length and two prophages ?O47A and ?O47B. However, its genome has no transposons and the smallest number of insertion sequence (IS) elements compared to the other known S. epidermidis genomes. By sequencing and analyzing the genome of O47, we provide the basis for its utilization in genetic and molecular studies of biofilm formation.
Project description:Staphylococcus epidermidis 1457 is a frequently utilized strain that is amenable to genetic manipulation and has been widely used for biofilm-related research. We report here the whole-genome sequence of this strain, which encodes 2,277 protein-coding genes and 81 RNAs within its 2.4-Mb genome and plasmid.
Project description:Fluorescently tagged daptomycin accessed the interior of Staphylococcus epidermidis biofilm cell clusters within minutes. The diffusion coefficient of daptomycin in the biofilm was 28% of its value in pure water. Daptomycin activity against staphylococci embedded in biofilms is unlikely to be limited by penetration of the antibiotic into the biofilm.
Project description:Staphylococcus epidermidis (S. epidermidis) ATCC 12228 was incubated with 2% polyethylene glycol (PEG)-8 Laurate to yield electricity which was measured by a voltage difference between electrodes. Production of electron was validated by a Ferrozine assay. The anti-Cutibacterium acnes (C. acnes) activity of electrogenic S. epidermidis was assessed in vitro and in vivo. The voltage change (~ 4.4 mV) reached a peak 60 min after pipetting S. epidermidis plus 2% PEG-8 Laurate onto anodes. The electricity produced by S. epidermidis caused significant growth attenuation and cell lysis of C. acnes. Intradermal injection of C. acnes and S. epidermidis plus PEG-8 Laurate into the mouse ear considerably suppressed the growth of C. acnes. This suppressive effect was noticeably reversed when cyclophilin A of S. epidermidis was inhibited, indicating the essential role of cyclophilin A in electricity production of S. epidermidis against C. acnes. In summary, we demonstrate for the first time that skin S. epidermidis, in the presence of PEG-8 Laurate, can mediate cyclophilin A to elicit an electrical current that has anti-C. acnes effects. Electricity generated by S. epidermidis may confer immediate innate immunity in acne lesions to rein in the overgrowth of C. acnes at the onset of acne vulgaris.
Project description:Several microbes, including Staphylococcus epidermidis (S. epidermidis), a Gram-positive bacterium, live inside the human nasal cavity as commensals. The role of these nasal commensals in host innate immunity is largely unknown, although bacterial interference in the nasal microbiome may promote ecological competition between commensal bacteria and pathogenic species. We demonstrate here that S. epidermidis culture supernatants significantly suppressed the infectivity of various influenza viruses. Using high-performance liquid chromatography together with mass spectrometry, we identified a giant extracellular matrix-binding protein (Embp) as the major component involved in the anti-influenza effect of S. epidermidis. This anti-influenza activity was abrogated when Embp was mutated, confirming that Embp is essential for S. epidermidis activity against viral infection. We also showed that both S. epidermidis bacterial particles and Embp can directly bind to influenza virus. Furthermore, the injection of a recombinant Embp fragment containing a fibronectin-binding domain into embryonated eggs increased the survival rate of virus-infected chicken embryos. For an in vivo challenge study, prior Embp intranasal inoculation in chickens suppressed the viral titres and induced the expression of antiviral cytokines in the nasal tissues. These results suggest that S. epidermidis in the nasal cavity may serve as a defence mechanism against influenza virus infection.
Project description:The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of cadmium exposure on Staphylococcus epidermidis (ATCC 35984) biofilm formation. Bacteria were cultured in the absence or presence of different concentrations (0-50 µM) of cadmium. Biofilm formation and bacterial viability were assessed. Quantitative Real Time-PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to determine the mRNA expression of molecular markers of S. epidermidis biofilm formation and dispersion. S. epidermidis biofilm formation was stimulated (p<0.001) by 1.56 and 3.13 µM cadmium. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) analysis confirmed an increase in biofilm thickness (23 and 22 µm, versus 17.8 µm in the controls) after exposure to 1.56 or 3.13 µM cadmium, respectively. qRT-PCR was performed showing the up-regulation of atlE, embp, aap, icaA and icaB after exposure to 3.13 µM cadmium. Taken together, these findings show that cadmium at low, sub-toxic concentrations acts as inducer of S. epidermidis biofilm formation.
Project description:We document linezolid dependence among 5 highly linezolid-resistant (LRSE) Staphylococcus epidermidis bloodstream isolates that grew substantially faster at 32 µg/mL linezolid presence. These isolates carried the mutations T2504A and C2534T in multiple 23S rRNA copies and 2 mutations leading to relevant amino acid substitutions in L3 protein. Linezolid dependence could account for increasing LRSE emergence.
Project description:Staphylococcus epidermidis CSF41498 is amenable to genetic manipulation and has been used to study mechanisms of biofilm formation. We report here the whole-genome sequence of this strain, which contains 2,427 protein-coding genes and 82 RNAs within its 2,481,008-bp-long genome, as well as three plasmids.