title: Pathogenicity island-directed transfer of unlinked chromosomal virulence genes.
abstract: In recent decades, the notorious pathogen Staphylococcus aureus has become progressively more contagious, more virulent, and more resistant to antibiotics. This implies a rather dynamic evolutionary capability, representing a remarkable level of genomic plasticity, most probably maintained by horizontal gene transfer. Here we report that the staphylococcal pathogenicity islands have a dual role in gene transfer: they not only mediate their own transfer, but they can independently direct the transfer of unlinked chromosomal segments containing virulence genes. While transfer of the island itself requires specific helper phages, transfer of unlinked chromosomal segments does not, so potentially any pac-type phage will serve. These results reveal that SaPIs can increase the horizontal exchange of accessory genes associated with disease and may shape pathogen genomes beyond the confines of their attachment sites.
authors.affiliation: Skirball Institute Program in Molecular Pathogenesis, Departments of Microbiology and Medicine, New York University Medical Center, New York, NY 10016, USA.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Skirball Institute Program in Molecular Pathogenesis, Departments of Microbiology and Medicine, New York University Medical Center, New York, NY 10016, USA.
authors.forename: Geeta
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ram
authors.affiliation: Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8TA, UK.
authors.forename: José R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Penadés
authors.affiliation: NYU Center for Health Informatics and Bioinformatics, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA.
authors.forename: Stuart
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.affiliation: Skirball Institute Program in Molecular Pathogenesis, Departments of Microbiology and Medicine, New York University Medical Center, New York, NY 10016, USA. Electronic address: richard.novick@med.nyu.edu.
authors.forename: Richard P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Novick
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D002876:Chromosomes, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry*; D022761:Gene Transfer, Horizontal; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D044404:Genomic Islands; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D039002:Prophages / Q000235:genetics; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000635:transmission; D013204:Staphylococcus Phages / Q000235:genetics; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000821:virology; D014774:Virulence