Comparative Study of the Difference in Behavior of the Accessory Gene Regulator (Agr) in USA300 and USA400 Community-Associated Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA)

• Published in: Journal of microbiology and biotechnology Vol. 31; no. 8; pp. 1060 - 1068
• Main Authors: Lee, Hye Soo, Song, Hun-Suk, Lee, Hong-Ju, Kim, Sang Hyun, Suh, Min Ju, Cho, Jang Yeon, Ham, Sion, Kim, Yun-Gon, Joo, Hwang-Soo, Kim, Wooseong, Lee, Sang Ho, Yoo, Dongwon, Bhatia, Shashi Kant, Yang, Yung-Hun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Korea (South) The Korean Society for Microbiology and Biotechnology 28.08.2021; 한국미생물·생명공학회
• Subjects: Bacterial Proteins - genetics; Bacterial Proteins - metabolism; Biofilms - growth & development; Cell Membrane - chemistry; Cell Membrane - metabolism; Community-Acquired Infections - microbiology; Drug Resistance, Bacterial - genetics; Fatty Acids - chemistry; Locomotion - genetics; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus - genetics; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus - metabolism; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus - physiology; Mutation; Phospholipids - chemistry; Pigmentation - genetics; Research article; Staphylococcal Infections - microbiology; Trans-Activators - genetics; Trans-Activators - metabolism; 생물학; CA-MRSA; USA400; USA300; function of Agr system; strain-dependent behaviors
• ISSN: 1017-7825; 1738-8872
• DOI: 10.4014/jmb.2104.04032

Community-associated Methicillin-Resistant (CA-MRSA) is notorious as a leading cause of soft tissue infections. Despite several studies on the Agr regulator, the mechanisms of action of Agr on the virulence factors in different strains are still unknown. To reveal the role of Agr in different CA-MRSA, we investigated the LACΔ mutant and the MW2Δ mutant by comparing LAC (USA300), MW2 (USA400), and Δ mutants. The changes of Δ mutants in sensitivity to oxacillin and several virulence factors such as biofilm formation, pigmentation, motility, and membrane properties were monitored. LACΔ and MW2Δ mutants showed different oxacillin sensitivity and biofilm formation compared to the LAC and MW2 strains. Regardless of the strain, the motility was reduced in Δ mutants. And there was an increase in the long chain fatty acid in phospholipid fatty acid composition of Δ mutants. Other properties such as biofilm formation, pigmentation, motility, and membrane properties were different in both Δ mutants. The Agr regulator may have a common role like the control of motility and straindependent roles such as antibiotic resistance, biofilm formation, change of membrane, and pigment production. It does not seem easy to control all MRSA by targeting the Agr regulator only as it showed strain-dependent behaviors.