title: Mobilization of Genomic Islands of Staphylococcus aureus by Temperate Bacteriophage.
abstract: The virulence of Staphylococcus aureus, in both human and animal hosts, is largely influenced by the acquisition of mobile genetic elements (MGEs). Most S. aureus strains carry a variety of MGEs, including three genomic islands (νSaα, νSaβ, νSaγ) that are diverse in virulence gene content but conserved within strain lineages. Although the mobilization of pathogenicity islands, phages and plasmids has been well studied, the mobilization of genomic islands is poorly understood. We previously demonstrated the mobilization of νSaβ by the adjacent temperate bacteriophage ϕSaBov from strain RF122. In this study, we demonstrate that ϕSaBov mediates the mobilization of νSaα and νSaγ, which are located remotely from ϕSaBov, mostly to recipient strains belonging to ST151. Phage DNA sequence analysis revealed that chromosomal DNA excision events from RF122 were highly specific to MGEs, suggesting sequence-specific DNA excision and packaging events rather than generalized transduction by a temperate phage. Disruption of the int gene in ϕSaBov did not affect phage DNA excision, packaging, and integration events. However, disruption of the terL gene completely abolished phage DNA packing events, suggesting that the primary function of temperate phage in the transfer of genomic islands is to allow for phage DNA packaging by TerL and that transducing phage particles are the actual vehicle for transfer. These results extend our understanding of the important role of bacteriophage in the horizontal transfer and evolution of genomic islands in S. aureus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762, United States of America.|Department of Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine and BK21 Program for Veterinary Science, Seoul National University, Seoul, 151-742, South Korea.
authors.forename: Bo Youn
authors.initials: BY
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762, United States of America.
authors.forename: Joo Youn
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS 39216, United States of America.
authors.forename: D Ashley
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Bolton, Bolton, Greater Manchester, BL3 5AB United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Jonathan C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine and BK21 Program for Veterinary Science, Seoul National University, Seoul, 151-742, South Korea.
authors.forename: Yong Ho
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762, United States of America.
authors.forename: Justin A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Thornton
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762, United States of America.
authors.forename: Keun Seok
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Seo
mesh_terms: D001665:Binding Sites; D042003:DNA Packaging; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D004706:Endodeoxyribonucleases / Q000378:metabolism; D018628:Gene Dosage; D023061:Gene Order; D016679:Genome, Viral; D044404:Genomic Islands; D019426:Integrases / Q000378:metabolism; D016254:Mutagenesis, Insertional; D059372:Nucleotide Motifs; D056510:Position-Specific Scoring Matrices; D011485:Protein Binding; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013204:Staphylococcus Phages / Q000502:physiology*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000821:virology*; D014161:Transduction, Genetic
chemical_list: D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D019426:Integrases; D004706:Endodeoxyribonucleases; C030894:terminase