Open AccessEvidence for a coordinate transcriptional control of alpha‐toxin and protein a synthesis in Staphylococcus aureus
Author(s) -
Janzon L.,
Löfdahl S.,
Arvidson S.
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6968.1986.tb01270.x
Subject(s) - staphylococcus aureus , toxin , mutant , protein biosynthesis , messenger rna , wild type , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , transcription (linguistics) , gene , chemistry , bacteria , biochemistry , genetics , linguistics , philosophy
A spontaneous mutant (Exp) of Staphylococcus aureus V8 with a decreased α‐toxin production and a simultaneously increased production of protein A was analyzed for α‐toxin and protein A‐specific mRNAs. The mutant had a 20‐fold decrease in α‐toxin mRNA and a 60‐fold increase in protein A mRNA as compared to the wild‐type strain. Both in the mutant and in the wild type the differential rate of exoprotein production increased during the post‐exponential growth phase. The increase in rates of α‐toxin and protein A production was due to increased transcription of these genes, indicating that there are two independent mechanisms of exoprotein regulation in S. aureus ; one dependent on the exp gene and another which is growth rate dependent.