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Expression and regulation of phenol-soluble modulins and enterotoxins in foodborne Staphylococcus aureus

Xiaoxiao Wu1,2, Miao Yang1, Xin Fang1

  • 1National Center of Supervision Inspection on Processed Food & Food Additives Quality, Nanjing Institute of Product Quality Inspection, No. 3 Jialingjiang East Street, Nanjing, 210019, China.

AMB Express
|November 24, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Foodborne Staphylococcus aureus strains show higher phenol-soluble modulins (PSMs) expression than clinical strains, suggesting PSMs

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Food Science

Background:

  • High levels of phenol-soluble modulins (PSMs) in clinical methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) are linked to bacterial virulence.
  • The role of PSMs in foodborne Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and their association with staphylococcal food poisoning (SFP) remain unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare PSMs expression in foodborne and clinical S. aureus strains.
  • To investigate the co-expression of PSMs with staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEs).
  • To elucidate the regulatory pathways governing PSMs and SEs expression.

Main Methods:

  • Comparison of PSMs expression levels between 350 foodborne and 127 clinical S. aureus strains.
  • Analysis of PSMs and SEs levels in relation to antibiotic susceptibility.
  • Gene-deficient mutant analysis of a foodborne strain producing PSMs, SEB, and SED.

Main Results:

  • Foodborne S. aureus strains exhibited significantly higher PSMs expression compared to clinical isolates.
  • Co-expression of PSMs and SEs was confirmed, with one foodborne strain producing PSMs, SEB, and SED.
  • Both PSMs and SEs expression depend on staphylococcal accessory regulator A (SarA) for initiation, but diverge in subsequent regulation (RNAIII-dependent for PSMs, independent for SEs).

Conclusions:

  • Foodborne S. aureus strains display higher PSMs expression, suggesting a role in food contamination and potential pathogenicity.
  • The study provides preliminary insights into the co-regulation of PSMs and SEs in foodborne S. aureus.
  • Findings may guide future research on the specific effects of PSMs in staphylococcal food poisoning.
Keywords:
Co-expressionFoodbornePhenol-soluble modulinStaphylococcal enterotoxinStaphylococcus aureus

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