title: The effect of skin fatty acids on Staphylococcus aureus.
abstract: Staphylococcus aureus is a commensal of the human nose and skin. Human skin fatty acids, in particular cis-6-hexadecenoic acid (C-6-H), have high antistaphylococcal activity and can inhibit virulence determinant production. Here, we show that sub-MIC levels of C-6-H result in induction of increased resistance. The mechanism(s) of C-6-H activity was investigated by combined transcriptome and proteome analyses. Proteome analysis demonstrated a pleiotropic effect of C-6-H on virulence determinant production. In response to C-6-H, transcriptomics revealed altered expression of over 500 genes, involved in many aspects of virulence and cellular physiology. The expression of toxins (hla, hlb, hlgBC) was reduced, whereas that of host defence evasion components (cap, sspAB, katA) was increased. In particular, members of the SaeRS regulon had highly reduced expression, and the use of specific mutants revealed that the effect on toxin production is likely mediated via SaeRS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, The Krebs Institute, University of Sheffield, Firth Court, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK.
authors.forename: Yvonne
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Neumann
authors.forename: Knut
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ohlsen
authors.forename: Stefanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Donat
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Engelmann
authors.forename: Harald
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kusch
authors.forename: Dirk
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Albrecht
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cartron
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hurd
authors.forename: Simon J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Foster
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000187:drug effects; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial / Q000187:drug effects; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D010169:Palmitic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020543:Proteome; D012867:Skin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D010169:Palmitic Acids; D020543:Proteome; D037521:Virulence Factors; C093821:hexadecenoic acid