This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowReprints and Permissions
Right arrow Copyright Information
Right arrow Books from ASM Press
Right arrow MicrobeWorld
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Bateman, B. T.
Right arrow Articles by Cheung, A. L.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Bateman, B. T.
Right arrow Articles by Cheung, A. L.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Infection and Immunity, December 2001, p. 7851-7857, Vol. 69, No. 12
0019-9567/01/$04.00+0   DOI: 10.1128/IAI.69.12.7851-7857.2001
Copyright © 2001, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of a Tetracycline-Inducible Promoter in Staphylococcus aureus In Vitro and In Vivo and Its Application in Demonstrating the Role of sigB in Microcolony Formation

B. T. Bateman, N. P. Donegan, T. M. Jarry, M. Palma, and A. L. Cheung*

Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dartmouth Medical School, Hanover, New Hampshire 03755

Received 2 July 2001/Returned for modification 13 August 2001/Accepted 30 August 2001

An inducible promoter system provides a powerful tool for studying the genetic basis for virulence. A variety of inducible systems have been used in other organisms, including pXyl-xylR-inducible promoter, the pSpac-lacI system, and the arabinose-inducible PBAD promoter, but each of these systems has limitations in its application to Staphylococcus aureus. In this study, we demonstrated the efficacy of a tetracycline-inducible promoter system in inducing gene expression in S. aureus in vitro and inside epithelial cells as well as in an animal model of infection. Using the xyl/tetO promoter::gfpuvr fusion carried on a shuttle plasmid, we demonstrated that dose-dependant tetracycline induction, as measured by bacterial fluorescence, occurred in each of the above environments while basal activation under noninduced conditions remained low. To ascertain how the system can be used to elucidate the genetic basis of a pathogenic phenotype, we cloned the sigB gene downstream of the inducible promoter. Induction of SigB expression led to dose-dependent attachment of the tested strain to polystyrene microtiter wells. Additionally, bacterial microcolony formation, an event preceding mature biofilm formation, also increased with tetracycline induction of SigB.


* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Microbiology, Dartmouth Medical School, Hanover, NH 03755. Phone: (603) 650-1340. Fax: (603) 650-1362. E-mail: ambrose.cheung{at}dartmouth.edu.


Infection and Immunity, December 2001, p. 7851-7857, Vol. 69, No. 12
0019-9567/01/$04.00+0   DOI: 10.1128/IAI.69.12.7851-7857.2001
Copyright © 2001, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.



This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Giese, B., Dittmann, S., Paprotka, K., Levin, K., Weltrowski, A., Biehler, D., Lam, T.-T., Sinha, B., Fraunholz, M. J. (2009). Staphylococcal Alpha-Toxin Is Not Sufficient To Mediate Escape from Phagolysosomes in Upper-Airway Epithelial Cells. Infect. Immun. 77: 3611-3625 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Vergara-Irigaray, M., Valle, J., Merino, N., Latasa, C., Garcia, B., Ruiz de los Mozos, I., Solano, C., Toledo-Arana, A., Penades, J. R., Lasa, I. (2009). Relevant Role of Fibronectin-Binding Proteins in Staphylococcus aureus Biofilm-Associated Foreign-Body Infections. Infect. Immun. 77: 3978-3991 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Sauer, K., Steczko, J., Ash, S. R. (2009). Effect of a solution containing citrate/Methylene Blue/parabens on Staphylococcus aureus bacteria and biofilm, and comparison with various heparin solutions. J Antimicrob Chemother 63: 937-945 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Pohl, K., Francois, P., Stenz, L., Schlink, F., Geiger, T., Herbert, S., Goerke, C., Schrenzel, J., Wolz, C. (2009). CodY in Staphylococcus aureus: a Regulatory Link between Metabolism and Virulence Gene Expression. J. Bacteriol. 191: 2953-2963 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Pane-Farre, J., Jonas, B., Hardwick, S. W., Gronau, K., Lewis, R. J., Hecker, M., Engelmann, S. (2009). Role of RsbU in Controlling SigB Activity in Staphylococcus aureus following Alkaline Stress. J. Bacteriol. 191: 2561-2573 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Klotzsche, M., Ehrt, S., Schnappinger, D. (2009). Improved tetracycline repressors for gene silencing in mycobacteria. Nucleic Acids Res 37: 1778-1788 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Lauderdale, K. J., Boles, B. R., Cheung, A. L., Horswill, A. R. (2009). Interconnections between Sigma B, agr, and Proteolytic Activity in Staphylococcus aureus Biofilm Maturation. Infect. Immun. 77: 1623-1635 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Kumaraswami, M., Schuman, J. T., Seo, S. M., Kaatz, G. W., Brennan, R. G. (2009). Structural and biochemical characterization of MepR, a multidrug binding transcription regulator of the Staphylococcus aureus multidrug efflux pump MepA. Nucleic Acids Res 37: 1211-1224 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Huet, A. A., Raygada, J. L., Mendiratta, K., Seo, S. M., Kaatz, G. W. (2008). Multidrug efflux pump overexpression in Staphylococcus aureus after single and multiple in vitro exposures to biocides and dyes. Microbiology 154: 3144-3153 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • DeMarco, C. E., Cushing, L. A., Frempong-Manso, E., Seo, S. M., Jaravaza, T. A. A., Kaatz, G. W. (2007). Efflux-Related Resistance to Norfloxacin, Dyes, and Biocides in Bloodstream Isolates of Staphylococcus aureus. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 51: 3235-3239 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Corrigan, R. M., Rigby, D., Handley, P., Foster, T. J. (2007). The role of Staphylococcus aureus surface protein SasG in adherence and biofilm formation. Microbiology 153: 2435-2446 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Rani, S. A., Pitts, B., Beyenal, H., Veluchamy, R. A., Lewandowski, Z., Davison, W. M., Buckingham-Meyer, K., Stewart, P. S. (2007). Spatial Patterns of DNA Replication, Protein Synthesis, and Oxygen Concentration within Bacterial Biofilms Reveal Diverse Physiological States. J. Bacteriol. 189: 4223-4233 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Rice, K. C., Mann, E. E., Endres, J. L., Weiss, E. C., Cassat, J. E., Smeltzer, M. S., Bayles, K. W. (2007). The cidA murein hydrolase regulator contributes to DNA release and biofilm development in Staphylococcus aureus. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 104: 8113-8118 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • O'Neill, A. J., McLaws, F., Kahlmeter, G., Henriksen, A. S., Chopra, I. (2007). Genetic Basis of Resistance to Fusidic Acid in Staphylococci. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 51: 1737-1740 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Palma, M., Bayer, A., Kupferwasser, L. I., Joska, T., Yeaman, M. R., Cheung, A. (2006). Salicylic Acid Activates Sigma Factor B by rsbU-Dependent and -Independent Mechanisms.. J. Bacteriol. 188: 5896-5903 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Kaatz, G. W., DeMarco, C. E., Seo, S. M. (2006). MepR, a Repressor of the Staphylococcus aureus MATE Family Multidrug Efflux Pump MepA, Is a Substrate-Responsive Regulatory Protein.. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 50: 1276-1281 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Moisan, H., Brouillette, E., Jacob, C. L., Langlois-Begin, P., Michaud, S., Malouin, F. (2006). Transcription of Virulence Factors in Staphylococcus aureus Small-Colony Variants Isolated from Cystic Fibrosis Patients Is Influenced by SigB. J. Bacteriol. 188: 64-76 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • O'Neill, A. J., Huovinen, T., Fishwick, C. W. G., Chopra, I. (2006). Molecular Genetic and Structural Modeling Studies of Staphylococcus aureus RNA Polymerase and the Fitness of Rifampin Resistance Genotypes in Relation to Clinical Prevalence. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 50: 298-309 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Kazmierczak, M. J., Wiedmann, M., Boor, K. J. (2005). Alternative Sigma Factors and Their Roles in Bacterial Virulence. Microbiol. Mol. Biol. Rev. 69: 527-543 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Shanks, R. M. Q., Donegan, N. P., Graber, M. L., Buckingham, S. E., Zegans, M. E., Cheung, A. L., O'Toole, G. A. (2005). Heparin Stimulates Staphylococcus aureus Biofilm Formation. Infect. Immun. 73: 4596-4606 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Carroll, P., Muttucumaru, D. G. N., Parish, T. (2005). Use of a Tetracycline-Inducible System for Conditional Expression in Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium smegmatis. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 71: 3077-3084 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Wang, B., Kuramitsu, H. K. (2005). Inducible Antisense RNA Expression in the Characterization of Gene Functions in Streptococcus mutans. Infect. Immun. 73: 3568-3576 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Kaatz, G. W., McAleese, F., Seo, S. M. (2005). Multidrug Resistance in Staphylococcus aureus Due to Overexpression of a Novel Multidrug and Toxin Extrusion (MATE) Transport Protein. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 49: 1857-1864 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • McAleese, F., Petersen, P., Ruzin, A., Dunman, P. M., Murphy, E., Projan, S. J., Bradford, P. A. (2005). A Novel MATE Family Efflux Pump Contributes to the Reduced Susceptibility of Laboratory-Derived Staphylococcus aureus Mutants to Tigecycline. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 49: 1865-1871 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Kamionka, A., Bertram, R., Hillen, W. (2005). Tetracycline-Dependent Conditional Gene Knockout in Bacillus subtilis. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 71: 728-733 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Blokpoel, M. C. J., Murphy, H. N., O'Toole, R., Wiles, S., Runn, E. S. C., Stewart, G. R., Young, D. B., Robertson, B. D. (2005). Tetracycline-inducible gene regulation in mycobacteria. Nucleic Acids Res 33: e22-e22 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Kaatz, G. W., Thyagarajan, R. V., Seo, S. M. (2005). Effect of Promoter Region Mutations and mgrA Overexpression on Transcription of norA, Which Encodes a Staphylococcus aureus Multidrug Efflux Transporter. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 49: 161-169 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Knobloch, J. K.-M., Jager, S., Horstkotte, M. A., Rohde, H., Mack, D. (2004). RsbU-Dependent Regulation of Staphylococcus epidermidis Biofilm Formation Is Mediated via the Alternative Sigma Factor {sigma}B by Repression of the Negative Regulator Gene icaR. Infect. Immun. 72: 3838-3848 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Bischoff, M., Dunman, P., Kormanec, J., Macapagal, D., Murphy, E., Mounts, W., Berger-Bachi, B., Projan, S. (2004). Microarray-Based Analysis of the Staphylococcus aureus {sigma}B Regulon. J. Bacteriol. 186: 4085-4099 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Ling, L. L., Xian, J., Ali, S., Geng, B., Fan, J., Mills, D. M., Arvanites, A. C., Orgueira, H., Ashwell, M. A., Carmel, G., Xiang, Y., Moir, D. T. (2004). Identification and Characterization of Inhibitors of Bacterial Enoyl-Acyl Carrier Protein Reductase. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 48: 1541-1547 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Schmidt, K. A., Manna, A. C., Cheung, A. L. (2003). SarT Influences sarS Expression in Staphylococcus aureus. Infect. Immun. 71: 5139-5148 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Schofield, D. A., Westwater, C., Hoel, B. D., Werner, P. A., Norris, J. S., Schmidt, M. G. (2003). Development of a Thermally Regulated Broad-Spectrum Promoter System for Use in Pathogenic Gram-Positive Species. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 69: 3385-3392 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Sifri, C. D., Begun, J., Ausubel, F. M., Calderwood, S. B. (2003). Caenorhabditis elegans as a Model Host for Staphylococcus aureus Pathogenesis. Infect. Immun. 71: 2208-2217 [Abstract] [Full Text]