title: The major autolysin is redundant for Staphylococcus aureus USA300 LAC JE2 virulence in a murine device-related infection model.
abstract: The major Staphylococcus aureus autolysin, Atl, has been implicated in attachment to surfaces and release of extracellular DNA during biofilm formation under laboratory conditions. Consistent with this, polyclonal antibodies to the amidase and glucosaminidase domains of Atl inhibited in vitro biofilm formation. However, in a murine model of device-related infection the community-associated S. aureus strain USA300 LAC JE2 established a successful infection in the absence of atl These data indicate that Atl activity is not required for biofilm production in this infection model and reveal the importance of characterizing the contribution of biofilm phenotypes to virulence under in vivo conditions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, School of Natural Sciences, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland.
authors.forename: Hannah
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: McCarthy
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Microbiology, Center for Staphylococcal Research, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5900, USA.
authors.forename: Elaine M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Waters
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Microbiology, Center for Staphylococcal Research, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5900, USA.
authors.forename: Jeffrey L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Bose
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, The Krebs Institute, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK.
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Foster
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Microbiology, Center for Staphylococcal Research, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5900, USA.
authors.forename: Kenneth W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Bayles
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Microbiology, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Connolly Hospital, Dublin 15, Ireland.
authors.forename: Eoghan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: O'Neill
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Microbiology, Center for Staphylococcal Research, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5900, USA.
authors.forename: Paul D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Fey
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, School of Natural Sciences, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland jamesp.ogara@nuigalway.ie.
authors.forename: James P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: O'Gara
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018441:Biofilms; D055499:Catheter-Related Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D051379:Mice; D009238:N-Acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine Amidase / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D014774:Virulence
chemical_list: D009238:N-Acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine Amidase
keywords: Autolysin; Staphylococcus; biofilm; device infection