The staphylococcal nuclease, encoded by the nucl gene, is an important virulence factor of Staphylococcus aureus. However, the physiological role of the nuclease has not been fully characterized. The current study obs...The staphylococcal nuclease, encoded by the nucl gene, is an important virulence factor of Staphylococcus aureus. However, the physiological role of the nuclease has not been fully characterized. The current study observed that biofilm development could be prevented in staphylococcal nuclease-producing strains of S. aureus; however, when the nucl gene was knocked out, the ability to form a biofilm significantly increased. Scanning electron and confocal scanning laser microscopy were used to evaluate the role of the nucl gene in biofilm formation. Moreover, the nucl gene product, staphylococcal nuclease, and re- combinant NUC1 protein were found to have a visible effect on other biofilm-forming bacteria, such as Pseudomonas aeru- ginosa, Actinobacillus pleuropneurnoniae, and Haernophilus parasuis. The current study showed a direct relationship between staphylococcal nuclease production and the prevention of biofilm development. The findings from this study underscore the important role of staphylococcal nuclease activity to prevent biofilm formation in S. aureus. They also provided evidence for the biological role of staphylococcal nucleases in other organisms.展开更多
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 31071515 and 31070113)the Special Foundation for Young Scientists of Sichuan Province,China (Grant No. 2011JQ0043)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities,Southwest University for Nationalities (Grant No. 09NZYZJ04)
文摘The staphylococcal nuclease, encoded by the nucl gene, is an important virulence factor of Staphylococcus aureus. However, the physiological role of the nuclease has not been fully characterized. The current study observed that biofilm development could be prevented in staphylococcal nuclease-producing strains of S. aureus; however, when the nucl gene was knocked out, the ability to form a biofilm significantly increased. Scanning electron and confocal scanning laser microscopy were used to evaluate the role of the nucl gene in biofilm formation. Moreover, the nucl gene product, staphylococcal nuclease, and re- combinant NUC1 protein were found to have a visible effect on other biofilm-forming bacteria, such as Pseudomonas aeru- ginosa, Actinobacillus pleuropneurnoniae, and Haernophilus parasuis. The current study showed a direct relationship between staphylococcal nuclease production and the prevention of biofilm development. The findings from this study underscore the important role of staphylococcal nuclease activity to prevent biofilm formation in S. aureus. They also provided evidence for the biological role of staphylococcal nucleases in other organisms.
