Staphylococcus aureus dry stress survivors have a heritable fitness advantage in subsequent dry exposure.
Staphylococcus aureus is a major cause of hospital-acquired infections. The ability to survive on abiotic surfaces is an important characteristic that facilitates transmission between human hosts. We found that S. aureus survivors of dry surface incubation are resistant to subsequent dry stress exposure. Survivors also had reduced sensitivity to the disinfectant chlorhexidine gluconate, but not to ethanol. By using a set of mutants in cardiolipin synthase genes, we further demonstrated that the housekeeping cardiolipin synthase, Cls2, was significant for survival on dry surface. Taken together, this study provides insights into S. aureus survival outside of a host.
Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, 305-8575 Tsukuba, Japan. Electronic address: maudsdotter@md.tsukuba.ac.jp.
Lisa
L
Maudsdotter
Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, 305-8575 Tsukuba, Japan.
Saki
S
Imai
Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, 305-8575 Tsukuba, Japan.
Ryosuke L
RL
Ohniwa
Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, 305-8575 Tsukuba, Japan.
Shinji
S
Saito
Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, 305-8575 Tsukuba, Japan. Electronic address: morikawa.kazuya.ga@u.tsukuba.ac.jp.
Kazuya
K
Morikawa
D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000635:transmission; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D017741:Survivors
D001426:Bacterial Proteins
Adaptation; Cardiolipin; Dry stress; Staphylococcus aureus; Transmission