New! Sign up for our free email newsletter.
Science News
from research organizations

Staphylococcus aureus: Why it just gets up your nose

Date:
December 27, 2012
Source:
Public Library of Science
Summary:
Researchers have identified a mechanism by which the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus colonizes our nasal passages. The study shows for the first time that a protein located on the bacterial surface called clumping factor B has high affinity for the skin protein loricrin.
Share:
FULL STORY

A collaboration between researchers at the School of Biochemistry and Immunology and the Department of Microbiology at Trinity College Dublin has identified a mechanism by which the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) colonizes our nasal passages. The study, published December 28 in the open access journal PLOS Pathogens, shows for the first time that a protein located on the bacterial surface called clumping factor B (ClfB) has high affinity for the skin protein loricrin.

S. aureus is a major human pathogen, with the potential to cause severe invasive diseases. It is a major cause for concern in hospitals and healthcare facilities, where many infections are caused by strains resistant to commonly used antibiotics [MRSA]. Interestingly, S. aureus persistently colonizes about 20% of the human population by binding to skin-like cells within the nasal cavity. Being colonized predisposes an individual towards becoming infected so it is vital that we understand the mechanisms involved.

ClfB was previously shown to promote S. aureus colonization in a human nasal colonization volunteer study. This paper now identifies the mechanism by which ClfB facilitates S. aureus nasal colonization. Purified ClfB bound loricrin with high affinity and this interaction was shown to be crucial for successful colonization of the nose in a mouse model. A knockout mouse lacking loricrin in its skin cells allowed fewer bacterial cells to colonize its nasal passages than a normal mouse. When S. aureus strains that lacked ClfB were used nasal colonization could not be achieved at all. Finally it was shown that soluble loricrin could reduce binding of S. aureus to human nasal skin cells and that nasal administration of loricrin reduced S. aureus colonization of mice.

Rachel McLoughlin, the study's corresponding author and Lecturer at the School of Biochemistry and Immunology at Trinity College Dublin concludes, "Loricrin is a major determinant of S. aureus nasal colonization." This discovery therefore opens new avenues for developing therapeutic strategies to reduce the burden of nasal carriage and consequently infections with this bacterium. This is particularly important given the difficulties associated with treating MRSA infections.


Story Source:

Materials provided by Public Library of Science. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.


Journal Reference:

  1. Mulcahy ME, Geoghegan JA, Monk IR, O'Keeffe KM, Walsh EJ, et al. Nasal Colonisation by Staphylococcus aureus Depends upon Clumping Factor B Binding to the Squamous Epithelial Cell Envelope Protein Loricrin. PLOS Pathog, 2012 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1003092

Cite This Page:

Public Library of Science. "Staphylococcus aureus: Why it just gets up your nose." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 27 December 2012. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/12/121227173334.htm>.
Public Library of Science. (2012, December 27). Staphylococcus aureus: Why it just gets up your nose. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 28, 2024 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/12/121227173334.htm
Public Library of Science. "Staphylococcus aureus: Why it just gets up your nose." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/12/121227173334.htm (accessed March 28, 2024).

Explore More

from ScienceDaily

RELATED STORIES