The general stress response of Staphylococcus aureus promotes tolerance of antibiotics and survival in whole human blood
Author(s)
Ranganathan, Nisha
Johnson, Rebecca
Edwards, Andrew M
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is a frequent cause of invasive human infections such as bacteraemia and infective endocarditis. These infections frequently relapse or become chronic, suggesting that the pathogen has mechanisms to tolerate the twin threats of therapeutic antibiotics and host immunity. The general stress response of S. aureus is regulated by the alternative sigma factor B (σB) and provides protection from multiple stresses including oxidative, acidic and heat. σB also contributes to virulence, intracellular persistence and chronic infection. However, the protective effect of σB on bacterial survival during exposure to antibiotics or host immune defences is poorly characterized. We found that σB promotes the survival of S. aureus exposed to the antibiotics gentamicin, ciprofloxacin, vancomycin and daptomycin, but not oxacillin or clindamycin. We also found that σB promoted staphylococcal survival in whole human blood, most likely via its contribution to oxidative stress resistance. Therefore, we conclude that the general stress response of S. aureus may contribute to the development of chronic infection by conferring tolerance to both antibiotics and host immune defences.
Date Issued
2020-11-01
Date Acceptance
2020-10-06
Citation
MICROBIOLOGY-SGM, 2020, 166 (11), pp.1088-1094
ISSN
1350-0872
Publisher
Microbiology Society
Start Page
1088
End Page
1094
Journal / Book Title
MICROBIOLOGY-SGM
Volume
166
Issue
11
Copyright Statement
© 2020 The Authors
This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. This article was made open access via a Publish and Read agreement between
the Microbiology Society and the corresponding author’s institution.
This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. This article was made open access via a Publish and Read agreement between
the Microbiology Society and the corresponding author’s institution.
License URL
Identifier
http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000603436200009&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=1ba7043ffcc86c417c072aa74d649202
Subjects
Science & Technology
Life Sciences & Biomedicine
Microbiology
Staphylococcus aureus
antibiotics
tolerance
sigma factor
SigB
SIGMA-FACTOR SIGMA(B)
FACTOR-B
RESISTANCE
VANCOMYCIN
VIRULENCE
METHICILLIN
BACTEREMIA
OPERON
AGR
SUSCEPTIBILITY
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2020-10-23