Rsp promotes the transcription of virulence factors in an agr-independent manner in Staphylococcus aureus

Staphylococcus aureus is a major human pathogen that causes a great diversity of community- and hospital-acquired infections. Rsp, a member of AraC/XylS family of transcriptional regulators (AFTRs), has been reported to play an important role in the regulation of virulence determinants in S. aureus...

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Main Authors: Banghui Liu, Baolin Sun
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2020-01-01
Series:Emerging Microbes and Infections
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/22221751.2020.1752116
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author Banghui Liu
Baolin Sun
author_facet Banghui Liu
Baolin Sun
author_sort Banghui Liu
collection DOAJ
description Staphylococcus aureus is a major human pathogen that causes a great diversity of community- and hospital-acquired infections. Rsp, a member of AraC/XylS family of transcriptional regulators (AFTRs), has been reported to play an important role in the regulation of virulence determinants in S. aureus via an agr-dependent pathway. Here we demonstrated that Rsp could bind to the rsp promoter to positively regulate its own expression. We then constructed an isogenic rsp deletion strain and compared the haemolysis in the wild-type and rsp mutant strains. Our results indicated that the rsp mutant strain displayed decreased haemolytic activity, which was correlated with a dramatic decrease in the expression of hla and psm. Furthermore, we analysed the regulatory effects of Rsp in the agr mutant strain and found that they are agr-independent. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay indicated that Rsp can directly bind to the promoter regions of hla and psm. The mouse model of subcutaneous abscess showed that the rsp mutant strain displayed a significant defect in virulence compared to the wild-type strain. These findings reveal that Rsp positively regulates the virulence of S. aureus by promoting the expression of hla and psm through direct binding to their promoter regions.
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spelling doaj-art-0b03d41dffb84a46b3cb36d6b008b11a2025-08-20T03:08:32ZengTaylor & Francis GroupEmerging Microbes and Infections2222-17512020-01-019179681210.1080/22221751.2020.1752116Rsp promotes the transcription of virulence factors in an agr-independent manner in Staphylococcus aureusBanghui Liu0Baolin Sun1Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, People’s Republic of ChinaDepartment of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, People’s Republic of ChinaStaphylococcus aureus is a major human pathogen that causes a great diversity of community- and hospital-acquired infections. Rsp, a member of AraC/XylS family of transcriptional regulators (AFTRs), has been reported to play an important role in the regulation of virulence determinants in S. aureus via an agr-dependent pathway. Here we demonstrated that Rsp could bind to the rsp promoter to positively regulate its own expression. We then constructed an isogenic rsp deletion strain and compared the haemolysis in the wild-type and rsp mutant strains. Our results indicated that the rsp mutant strain displayed decreased haemolytic activity, which was correlated with a dramatic decrease in the expression of hla and psm. Furthermore, we analysed the regulatory effects of Rsp in the agr mutant strain and found that they are agr-independent. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay indicated that Rsp can directly bind to the promoter regions of hla and psm. The mouse model of subcutaneous abscess showed that the rsp mutant strain displayed a significant defect in virulence compared to the wild-type strain. These findings reveal that Rsp positively regulates the virulence of S. aureus by promoting the expression of hla and psm through direct binding to their promoter regions.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/22221751.2020.1752116Staphylococcus aureusRspAgrhaemolysisHlaPSMs
spellingShingle Banghui Liu
Baolin Sun
Rsp promotes the transcription of virulence factors in an agr-independent manner in Staphylococcus aureus
Emerging Microbes and Infections
Staphylococcus aureus
Rsp
Agr
haemolysis
Hla
PSMs
title Rsp promotes the transcription of virulence factors in an agr-independent manner in Staphylococcus aureus
title_full Rsp promotes the transcription of virulence factors in an agr-independent manner in Staphylococcus aureus
title_fullStr Rsp promotes the transcription of virulence factors in an agr-independent manner in Staphylococcus aureus
title_full_unstemmed Rsp promotes the transcription of virulence factors in an agr-independent manner in Staphylococcus aureus
title_short Rsp promotes the transcription of virulence factors in an agr-independent manner in Staphylococcus aureus
title_sort rsp promotes the transcription of virulence factors in an agr independent manner in staphylococcus aureus
topic Staphylococcus aureus
Rsp
Agr
haemolysis
Hla
PSMs
url https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/22221751.2020.1752116
work_keys_str_mv AT banghuiliu rsppromotesthetranscriptionofvirulencefactorsinanagrindependentmannerinstaphylococcusaureus
AT baolinsun rsppromotesthetranscriptionofvirulencefactorsinanagrindependentmannerinstaphylococcusaureus