Advances in two-component signal transduction system SrrAB of staphylococcus

Abstract:

Staphylococcus employs SrrAB, a two-component signal transduction system (TCSTS), to sense and respond to changes in oxygen tension by regulating transcriptions of downstream genes. It has been demonstrated that under aerobic condition SrrAB upregulates the expression of virulence factors and inhibits biofilm formation in S. aureus, however under anaerobic condition it downregulates the expression of virulence factors, and enhances biofilm formation. In addition, SrrAB plays different roles in growth and metabolism under aerobic and anaerobic conditions in S. aureus. Little is known about the function of SrrAB in S. epidermidis, which shares considerable homology with SrrAB of S. aureus. In combination with previous work of our laboratory, we review the advances of current research of staphylococcal SrrAB, with the comparison of SrrAB modulation mechanism under aerobic and anaerobic conditions highlighted.