Adaptation beyond the Stress Response: Cell Structure Dynamics and Population Heterogeneity in Staphylococcus aureus

Kazuya Morikawa (1) , Ryosuke Ohniwa (1) , Toshiko Ohta (1) , Yoshikazu Tanaka (2) , Kunio Takeyasu (3) , Tarek Msadek (4)

1 Université de Tsukuba = University of Tsukuba
2 Hokkaido University [Sapporo, Japan]
3 Kyoto University
4 Biologie des Bactéries pathogènes à Gram-positif

Staphylococcus aureus, a major opportunistic pathogen responsible for a broad spectrum of infections, naturally inhabits the human nasal cavity in about 30% of the population. The unique adaptive potential displayed by S. aureus has made it one of the major causes of nosocomial infections today, emphasized by the rapid emergence of multiple antibiotic-resistant strains over the past few decades. The uncanny ability to adapt to harsh environments is essential for staphylococcal persistence in infections or as a commensal, and a growing body of evidence has revealed critical roles in this process for cellular structural dynamics, and population heterogeneity. These two exciting areas of research are now being explored to identify new molecular mechanisms governing these adaptational strategies.

Keywords: Staphylococcus aureus; nucleoid; membrane; variant; population heterogeneity

Domains: Microbiology and Parasitology

Kazuya Morikawa, Ryosuke Ohniwa, Toshiko Ohta, Yoshikazu Tanaka, Kunio Takeyasu, et al.. Adaptation beyond the Stress Response: Cell Structure Dynamics and Population Heterogeneity in Staphylococcus aureus. Microbes and environments / JSME, 2010, 25 (2), pp.75-82. ⟨10.1264/jsme2.ME10116⟩. ⟨pasteur-02870018⟩