Sodium Polyanethol Sulfonate Modulates Natural Transformation of SigH-Expressing Staphylococcus aureus

Current Microbiology volume 75, pages499–504(2018)Cite this article

Abstract

Expression of genes required for natural genetic competence in Staphylococcus aureus is controlled by an alternative transcription sigma factor, SigH. However, even in the SigH-expressing cells, the DNA transformation efficiency varies depending on culture conditions. We report here that cells grown in the competence-inducing medium (CS2 medium) exhibit enlarged morphology with disintegrated cell walls. Notably, an autolysis inhibitor, Sodium Polyanethol Sulfonate (SPS), facilitated transformation in CS2 medium in a dose-dependent manner, suggesting the involvement of the cell wall metabolism in transformation. However, the transformation efficiency of cells grown in TSB was not improved by physical or enzymatic damage on the cell walls.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Ms. Junko Sakamoto for electron microscopy. This work was supported by Takeda Science Foundation, Pfizer Academic Contributions, and The Waksman Foundation of Japan.

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Author notes

  1. Le Thuy Thi Nguyen

    Present address: Biotechnology Center, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

  2. Le Thuy Thi Nguyen and Aya J. Takemura have contributed equally to this work.

Affiliations

  1. Human Biology Program, School of Integrative and Global Majors, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan

    Le Thuy Thi Nguyen & Aya J. Takemura

  2. Center for Biotechnology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan

    Ryosuke L. Ohniwa

  3. Division of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan

    Ryosuke L. Ohniwa, Shinji Saito & Kazuya Morikawa

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  1. Le Thuy Thi Nguyen
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  2. Aya J. Takemura
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  3. Ryosuke L. Ohniwa
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  4. Shinji Saito
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  5. Kazuya Morikawa
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Correspondence to Kazuya Morikawa.

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Nguyen, L.T.T., Takemura, A.J., Ohniwa, R.L. et al. Sodium Polyanethol Sulfonate Modulates Natural Transformation of SigH-Expressing Staphylococcus aureus . Curr Microbiol 75, 499–504 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00284-017-1409-5

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