Influence of clindamycin on the stability of coa and fnbB transcripts and adherence properties of Staphylococcus aureus Newman.
We investigated whether a subinhibitory concentration of clindamycin (Cli), corresponding to 1/2 the strain-specific minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), could affect expression and stability of transcripts from genes coding for specific adhesins such as fibronectin binding proteins A (fnbA) and B (fnbB) as well as coagulase (coa) in Staphylococcus aureus strain Newman. Furthermore, the effect of 1/2 MIC of Cli on adherence properties and expression of type 5 capsular polysaccharides (CP5) was investigated. Northern slot blot experiments confirmed that the amount of coa- and fnbB-specific mRNA, in contrast to that of fnbA-specific mRNA, was increased 2-fold after treatment of S. aureus Newman with 1/2 MIC of Cli. Analysis of RNA stability revealed that the increased amounts of transcripts of coa and fnbB were due to stabilization of the respective mRNAs. However, when treated with 1/2 MIC of Cli, S. aureus Newman showed no significant changes neither in its adherence patterns to fibrinogen- or fibronectin-coated micotitre plates, nor to epithelial HEp-2 cells and also not in its CP5 expression. Therefore, we conclude that increased mRNA stability of fnbB and coa by 1/2 MIC Cli, in contrast to the situation seen with the protein biosynthesis inhibiting antibiotic florfenicol, does not result in an increase in adherence of S. aureus Newman.
Blickwede
Maren
M
Institut für Tierzucht, Bundesforschungsanstalt für Landwirtschaft (FAL), Höltystrasse 10, 31535 Neustadt-Mariensee, Germany.
Wolz
Christiane
C
Valentin-Weigand
Peter
P
Schwarz
Stefan
S
D018829:Adhesins, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001422:Bacterial Adhesion / Q000187:drug effects*; D016667:Bacterial Capsules / Q000378:metabolism; D002460:Cell Line; D002981:Clindamycin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003030:Coagulase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000382:microbiology; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D020871:RNA Stability / Q000187:drug effects*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology
D018829:Adhesins, Bacterial; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D003030:Coagulase; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C078635:fibronectin-binding proteins, bacterial; D002981:Clindamycin