The role of Staphylococcus aureus virulence factor regulation in pathogenicity

Staphylococcus aureus is a Gram positive bacterial pathogen that causes a wide variety of diseases in humans in which some are life threatening. Due to the emergence of some strains that are resistant to antimicrobial agents, the investigation of alternative therapeutic targets for S. aureus is urgently needed.; The pathogenicity of S. aureus is caused by the production of virulence factors that are either cell surface or secreted proteins. The synthesis and timed sequential expression of these virulence factors are regulated by RNAIII which is encoded within the agr locus. In vitro and in vivo experimental systems were used to block the autoinducer of virulence factor expression or disrupt or altering the sequence of virulence factor expression.; This research demonstrated that the regulation and timed sequential expression of virulence factors are important to S. aureus pathogenicity.