title: Genomics of Natural Populations of Staphylococcus aureus.
abstract: Staphylococcus aureus is a major human pathogen and an important cause of livestock infections. The first S. aureus genomes to be published, 15 years ago, provided the first view of genome structure and gene content. Since then, thousands of genomes from a wide array of strains from different sources have been sequenced. Comparison of these sequences has resulted in broad insights into population structure, bacterial evolution, clone emergence and expansion, and the molecular basis of niche adaptation. Furthermore, this information is now being applied clinically in outbreak investigations to inform infection control measures and to determine appropriate treatment regimens. In this review, we summarize some of the broad insights into S. aureus biology gained from the analysis of genomes and discuss future directions and opportunities in this dynamic field of research.
authors.affiliation: The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Campus, Midlothian EH25 9RG, United Kingdom; email: ross.fitzgerald@ed.ac.uk.
authors.forename: J Ross
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Fitzgerald
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, Fife KY16 9S5, United Kingdom; email: mtgh@st-andrews.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Matthew T G
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Holden
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D016680:Genome, Bacterial; D023281:Genomics; D006801:Humans; D058751:Livestock / Q000382:microbiology; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000662:veterinary*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D037521:Virulence Factors
keywords: MRSA; Staphylococcus aureus; genome; host range; pathogenesis