The effects of two staphylococcal global regulators ( agr and sar) on acid phosphatase production in Staphylococcus aureus

Staphylococcus aureus produces an extensive number of cell-surface associated proteins, extracellular proteins and enzymes that contribute to its virulence. The key to better preventive or curative approaches resides in identifying and targeting the very genes and their products that play major roles in the survival of the bacteria within the host and the establishment of diseases. Two well known regulatory loci, the accessory gene regulator (agr) and the staphylococcal accessory regulator (sar), control the expression of most of S. aureus genes that encode for its virulence factors. Other virulence gene regulators have recently been isolated. Over 40 proteins and enzymes produced by S. aureus have been identified and several of them have been linked to staphylococcal pathogenesis. In this study, we attempt to determine the role of agr and sar in the regulation of the production of a secreted staphylococcal acid phosphatase (Sap) suspected to contribute to virulence.