Expression of pls, a gene closely associated with the mecA gene of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, prevents bacterial adhesion in vitro.
The pls gene, coding for a large surface protein of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, was cloned from a strain which adheres poorly to several mammalian proteins. The structure of pls revealed three distinct repeat regions, one of which was a serine-aspartate repeat characteristic of the Clf-Sdr family of surface proteins in staphylococci. The lengths of the repeat regions varied in different clinical strains and could be used as epidemiological markers. pls was found to be closely associated with the mecA gene by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis analysis of SmaI-digested DNA. A pls mutant constructed by allele replacement adhered well to immobilized fibronectin and immunoglobulin G, in contrast to the parental strain, suggesting that Pls could have a role in preventing adhesion at some stages during an infection.
Savolainen
K
K
Department of Biosciences, Division of General Microbiology, 00014 University of Helsinki, Finland. Katri.M.Savolainen@helsinki.fi
Paulin
L
L
Westerlund-Wikström
B
B
Foster
T J
TJ
Korhonen
T K
TK
Kuusela
P
P
D018829:Adhesins, Bacterial; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D001422:Bacterial Adhesion; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D006602:Hexosyltransferases; D002267:Muramoylpentapeptide Carboxypeptidase / Q000235:genetics*; D046915:Penicillin-Binding Proteins; D010458:Peptidyl Transferases; D020449:Repetitive Sequences, Amino Acid; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology
D018829:Adhesins, Bacterial; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D046915:Penicillin-Binding Proteins; C078635:fibronectin-binding proteins, bacterial; C119204:streptococcal protective antigen; D010458:Peptidyl Transferases; D006602:Hexosyltransferases; D002267:Muramoylpentapeptide Carboxypeptidase