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Heterogeneity in ess transcriptional organization and variable contribution of the Ess/Type VII protein secretion system to virulence across closely related Staphylocccus aureus strains

Lookup NU author(s): Professor Tracy Palmer FRS FRSE FMedSciORCiD

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).


Abstract

Summary: The Type VII protein secretion system, found in Gram-positive bacteria, secretes small proteins, containing a conserved W-x-G amino acid sequence motif, to the growth medium. Staphylococcus aureus has a conserved Type VII secretion system, termed Ess, which is dispensable for laboratory growth but required for virulence. In this study we show that there are unexpected differences in the organization of the ess gene cluster between closely related strains of S. aureus. We further show that in laboratory growth medium different strains of S. aureus secrete the EsxA and EsxC substrate proteins at different growth points, and that the Ess system in strain Newman is inactive under these conditions. Systematic deletion analysis in S. aureusRN6390 is consistent with the EsaA, EsaB, EssA, EssB, EssC and EsxA proteins comprising core components of the secretion machinery in this strain. Finally we demonstrate that the Ess secretion machinery of two S. aureus strains, RN6390 and COL, is important for nasal colonization and virulence in the murine lung pneumonia model. Surprisingly, however, the secretion system plays no role in the virulence of strain SA113 under the same conditions. © 2014 The Authors. Molecular Microbiology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.


Publication metadata

Author(s): Kneuper H, Cao ZP, Twomey KB, Zoltner M, Jager F, Cargill JS, Chalmers J, van der Kooi-Pol MM, van Dijl JM, Ryan RP, Hunter WN, Palmer T

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: Molecular Microbiology

Year: 2014

Volume: 93

Issue: 5

Pages: 928-943

Print publication date: 01/09/2014

Online publication date: 08/07/2014

Acceptance date: 03/07/2014

Date deposited: 15/02/2019

ISSN (print): 0950-382X

ISSN (electronic): 1365-2958

Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/mmi.12707

DOI: 10.1111/mmi.12707

PubMed id: 25040609


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Funding

Funder referenceFunder name
BB/H007571/1
SFI 09/SIRG/B1654
T4-213
T4-502
WT100204AIA

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