title: Elucidating the crucial role of poly N-acetylglucosamine from Staphylococcus aureus in cellular adhesion and pathogenesis.
abstract: Staphylococcus aureus is an important pathogen that forms biofilms on the surfaces of medical implants. Biofilm formation by S. aureus is associated with the production of poly N-acetylglucosamine (PNAG), also referred to as polysaccharide intercellular adhesin (PIA), which mediates bacterial adhesion, leading to the accumulation of bacteria on solid surfaces. This study shows that the ability of S. aureus SA113 to adhere to nasal epithelial cells is reduced after the deletion of the ica operon, which contains genes encoding PIA/PNAG synthesis. However, this ability is restored after a plasmid carrying the entire ica operon is transformed into the mutant strain, S. aureus SA113Δica, showing that the synthesis of PIA/PNAG is important for adhesion to epithelial cells. Additionally, S. carnosus TM300, which does not produce PIA/PNAG, forms a biofilm and adheres to epithelial cells after the bacteria are transformed with a PIA/PNAG-expressing plasmid, pTXicaADBC. The adhesion of S. carnosus TM300 to epithelial cells is also demonstrated by adding purified exopolysaccharide (EPS), which contains PIA/PNAG, to the bacteria. In addition, using a mouse model, we find that the abscess lesions and bacterial burden in lung tissues is higher in mice infected with S. aureus SA113 than in those infected with the mutant strain, S. aureus SA113Δica. The results indicate that PIA/PNAG promotes the adhesion of S. aureus to human nasal epithelial cells and lung infections in a mouse model. This study elucidates a mechanism that is important to the pathogenesis of S. aureus infections.
authors: Department of Medical Biotechnology and Laboratory Science, College of Medicine, Chang-Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors: Mei Hui
authors: MH
authors: Lin
authors: Department of Medical Biotechnology and Laboratory Science, College of Medicine, Chang-Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors: Jwu Ching
authors: JC
authors: Shu
authors: Department of Medical Biotechnology and Laboratory Science, College of Medicine, Chang-Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors: Li Ping
authors: LP
authors: Lin
authors: Department of Medical Biotechnology and Laboratory Science, College of Medicine, Chang-Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors: Kowit Yu
authors: KY
authors: Chong
authors: Department of Medical Biotechnology and Laboratory Science, College of Medicine, Chang-Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors: Ya Wen
authors: YW
authors: Cheng
authors: Department of Medical Biotechnology and Laboratory Science, College of Medicine, Chang-Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors: Jia Fu
authors: JF
authors: Du
authors: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China; Department of Medical Research and Development, Chiayi Branch, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chiayi, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors: Shih-Tung
authors: ST
authors: Liu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001422:Bacterial Adhesion / Q000235:genetics*; D058491:Bacterial Load / Q000235:genetics; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D001483:Base Sequence; D018441:Biofilms / Q000254:growth & development*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D005816:Genetic Complementation Test; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009876:Operon; D010957:Plasmids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial / Q000378:metabolism*; D017384:Sequence Deletion; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D014169:Transformation, Bacterial; D047071:beta-Glucans / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial; D047071:beta-Glucans; C505465:poly-N-acetyl-1-6-glucosamine; C113579:polysaccharide intercellular adhesin