title: A different path: revealing the function of staphylococcal proteins in biofilm formation.
abstract: Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis cause dangerous and difficult to treat medical device-related infections through their ability to form biofilms. Extracellular poly-N-acetylglucosamine (PNAG) facilitates biofilm formation and is a vaccination target, yet details of its biosynthesis by the icaADBC gene products is limited. IcaC is the proposed transporter for PNAG export, however a comparison of the Ica proteins to homologous exo-polysaccharide synthases suggests that the common IcaAD protein components both synthesise and transport the PNAG. The limited distribution of icaC to the Staphylococcaceae and its membership of a family of membrane-bound acyltransferases, leads us to suggest that IcaC is responsible for the known O-succinylation of PNAG that occurs in staphylococci, identifying a potentially new therapeutic target specific for these bacteria.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of York, Heslington, York YO10 5DD, UK.
authors.forename: Kate E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Atkin
authors.affiliation: Technology Facility, Department of Biology, University of York, Heslington, York YO10 5DD, UK.
authors.forename: Sandy J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: MacDonald
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of York, Heslington, York YO10 5DD, UK.
authors.forename: Andrew S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Brentnall
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of York, Heslington, York YO10 5DD, UK. Electronic address: jennifer.potts@york.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Jennifer R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Potts
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of York, Heslington, York YO10 5DD, UK. Electronic address: gavin.thomas@york.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Gavin H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Thomas
mesh_terms: D000117:Acetylglucosamine / Q000096:biosynthesis; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D018441:Biofilms / Q000254:growth & development*; D053898:Biosynthetic Pathways / Q000235:genetics; D023061:Gene Order; D006801:Humans; D009876:Operon / Q000235:genetics; D010802:Phylogeny; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D013212:Staphylococcus epidermidis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D000117:Acetylglucosamine
keywords: Biofilm; Exo-polysaccharide secretion; O-succinylation; PNAG modification; Staphylococci