Bacterial evasion of innate host defenses--the Staphylococcus aureus lesson.
Bacterial pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus use highly efficient mechanisms to evade recognition and elimination by the innate immune system. S. aureus produces sophisticated anti-inflammatory molecules and it employs several mechanisms protecting the bacteria against host cationic antimicrobial molecules such as defensin-like peptides and bacteriolytic enzymes such as lysozyme. Cell wall teichoic acids and lipoteichoic acids, complex Gram-positive surface polymers, and modified membrane lipids such as lysylphosphatidylglycerol are crucial in defensin resistance and other important aspects of staphylococcal virulence such as nasal colonization and biofilm formation on biomaterials. Certain S. aureus genes conferring escape from innate host defenses are conserved in many human pathogens suggesting that the underlying mechanisms are of general significance in bacterial virulence.
Fedtke
Iris
I
University of Tübingen, Cellular and Molecular Microbiology, Medical Microbiology and Hygiene Department, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Str 6, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany.
Götz
Friedrich
F
Peschel
Andreas
A
D018441:Biofilms / Q000254:growth & development; D023082:Defensins / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D008563:Membrane Lipids / Q000378:metabolism; D009113:Muramidase / Q000378:metabolism; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial / Q000378:metabolism; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology* / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D013682:Teichoic Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D014774:Virulence
D023082:Defensins; D008563:Membrane Lipids; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial; D013682:Teichoic Acids; D009113:Muramidase