title: Distinct roles of phenol-soluble modulins in spreading of Staphylococcus aureus on wet surfaces.
abstract: The human pathogen Staphylococcus aureus is renowned for the rapid colonization of contaminated wounds, medical implants, and food products. Nevertheless, little is known about the mechanisms that allow S. aureus to colonize the respective wet surfaces. The present studies were therefore aimed at identifying factors used by S. aureus cells to spread over wet surfaces, starting either from planktonic or biofilm-associated states. Through proteomics analyses we pinpoint phenol-soluble modulins (PSMs) as prime facilitators of the spreading process. To dissect the roles of the eight PSMs produced by S. aureus, these peptides were chemically synthesized and tested in spreading assays with different psm mutant strains. The results show that PSMα3 and PSMγ are the strongest facilitators of spreading both for planktonic cells and cells in catheter-associated biofilms. Compared to the six other PSMs of S. aureus, PSMα3 and PSMγ combine strong surfactant activities with a relatively low overall hydropathicity. Importantly, we show that PSM-mediated motility of S. aureus facilitates the rapid colonization of wet surfaces next to catheters and the colonization of fresh meat.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands.
authors.forename: Eleni
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tsompanidou
authors.forename: Emma L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Denham
authors.forename: Dörte
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Becher
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: de Jong
authors.forename: Girbe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Buist
authors.forename: Marleen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: van Oosten
authors.forename: Willem L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Manson
authors.forename: Jaap Willem
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Back
authors.forename: Jan Maarten
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: van Dijl
authors.forename: Annette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dreisbach
mesh_terms: D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000378:metabolism*; D018441:Biofilms / Q000254:growth & development; D057785:Catheters / Q000382:microbiology; D004783:Environmental Microbiology; D006801:Humans; D008460:Meat / Q000382:microbiology*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D013501:Surface-Active Agents; C025971:staphylococcal delta toxin