GSE111012
Lysogenization of Staphylococcus aureus RN450 by phages phi11 and phi80alpha leads to the activation of the SigB regulon
Staphylococcus aureus is a major opportunistic pathogen and notable efforts are currently under way to develop new methods to combat staphylococcal infections. It is becoming increasingly clear that understanding the ecology of pathogenic bacteria is important to design improved disinfection and therapeutic strategies. Like many microbes, S. aureus commonly forms biofilms on various biotic and abiotic surfaces. Also, most isolates are known to carry prophages in their genomes. With this in mind, it seems that acquiring a better knowledge of the impact of prophages on the physiology of S. aureus biofilm cells would be useful for the development of strategies to eliminate this pathogen from industrial and hospital surfaces or human tissues. Here, we examined the impact of lysogeny on the transcriptome of S. aureus cells during biofilm development. The observed changes in gene expression indicated activation of the regulon controlled by the alternative sigma factor SigB. This response, typically triggered by stress conditions, leads to a greater production of the carotenoid pigment staphyloxanthin and a reduced production of extracellular proteins involved in biofilm dispersion. Overall, this study lays the foundations for characterizing the complex molecular interactions between temperate staphylophages and their host, and understanding their impact on microbial community dynamics. Overall design: 6 samples were analyzed, correponding to 2 biological replicates of three different strains (prophage-free RN450 strain and its derived lysogens carrying phages phi11 and phi80alpha)