Molecular interaction between methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and chicken breast reveals enhancement of pathogenesis and toxicity for food-borne outbreak
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Updated: Dec 9, 2025
Subcutaneous Infection of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus MRSA
Published on: February 9, 2011
Han Young Chung1, You-Tae Kim2, Joon-Gi Kwon2
1National Research Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Toxicology, Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, And Center for Food Safety and Toxicology, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, South Korea; Food-borne Pathogen Omics Research Center (FORC), Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, South Korea.
Abstract:
To study pathogenesis and toxicity of Staphylococcus aureus in foods, FORC_062 was isolated from a human blood sample and complete genome sequence has a type II SCCmec gene cluster and a type II toxin-antitoxin system, indicating an MRSA strain. Its mobile gene elements has many pathogenic genes involved in host infection, biofilm formation, and various enterotoxin and hemolysin genes. Clinical MRSA is often found in animal foods and ingestion of MRSA-contaminated foods causes human infection. Therefore, it is very important to understand the role of contaminated foods. To elucidate the interaction between clinical MRSA FORC_062 and raw chicken breast, transcriptome analysis was conducted, showing that gene expressions of amino acid biosynthesis and metabolism were specifically down-regulated, suggesting that the strain may import and utilize amino acids from the chicken breast, but not able to synthesize them. However, toxin gene expressions were up-regulated, suggesting that human infection of S. aureus via contaminated food may be more fatal. In addition, the contaminated foods enhance multiple-antibiotic resistance activities and virulence factors in this clinical MRSA. Consequently, MRSA-contaminated food may play a role as a nutritional reservoir as well as in enhancing factor for pathogenesis and toxicity of clinical MRSA for severe food-borne outbreaks.
Insights
This study reveals that clinical Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in food enhances its virulence and antibiotic resistance. Contaminated foods can act as a reservoir, increasing the risk of severe foodborne illness.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Food Safety
- Genomics
Background:
- Staphylococcus aureus, particularly Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), is a significant pathogen found in clinical settings and increasingly in food products.
- Clinical MRSA strains, like FORC_062, possess virulence factors and antibiotic resistance genes, posing a threat through food consumption.
- Understanding the interaction between MRSA and food matrices is crucial for assessing foodborne illness risks.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the pathogenesis and toxicity of a clinical MRSA strain (FORC_062) in the context of food contamination.
- To elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the interaction between MRSA FORC_062 and raw chicken breast.
- To determine how food environments influence MRSA's virulence, antibiotic resistance, and overall pathogenicity.
Main Methods:
- Isolation and whole-genome sequencing of the clinical MRSA strain FORC_062.
- Transcriptome analysis to compare gene expression profiles of MRSA FORC_062 interacting with raw chicken breast versus in vitro conditions.
- Analysis of mobile gene elements, pathogenic genes, toxin-antitoxin systems, and SCCmec gene clusters.
Main Results:
- The MRSA strain FORC_062 possesses a type II SCCmec gene cluster and toxin-antitoxin system, along with numerous virulence genes.
- Transcriptome analysis showed down-regulation of amino acid biosynthesis and metabolism genes, suggesting nutrient import from chicken breast.
- Toxin gene expression was up-regulated, and contaminated food enhanced MRSA's multiple-antibiotic resistance and virulence factors.
Conclusions:
- Clinical MRSA FORC_062 utilizes nutrients from food sources like chicken breast.
- Food contamination significantly enhances MRSA virulence, antibiotic resistance, and pathogenic potential, increasing the severity of foodborne infections.
- MRSA-contaminated food acts as a nutritional reservoir and an enhancing factor for pathogenesis, contributing to severe foodborne outbreaks.
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