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Journal of Bacteriology, October 2000, p. 5721-5729, Vol. 182, No. 20
0021-9193/00/$04.00+0
Copyright © 2000, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.

Population Studies of Methicillin-Resistant and -Sensitive Staphylococcus aureus Strains Reveal a Lack of Variability in the agrD Gene, Encoding a Staphylococcal Autoinducer Peptide

Willem van Leeuwen,* Wendy van Nieuwenhuizen, Christel Gijzen, Henri Verbrugh, and Alex van Belkum

Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Erasmus University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

Received 18 May 2000/Accepted 26 July 2000

The virulence of Staphylococcus aureus is controlled by the accessory gene regulator (agr) system, including an extracellular inducer encoded by agrD. Variable agr PCR restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) patterns of unique S. aureus strains (n = 192) were determined for a region comprising agrD and parts of the neighboring agrC and agrB genes. Twelve unique RFLP patterns were identified among S. aureus strains in general; these patterns were further specified by sequencing. All sequences could be catalogued in the three current agr groups. A major proportion of the S. aureus strains belong to agr group 1, whereas only 6% of the methicillin-susceptible S. aureus strains and 5% of the methicillin-resistant S. aureus strains belong to agr groups 2 and 3, respectively. The homology between groups varied from 75 to 80%, and within groups it varied from 96 to 100%. Different levels of sequence variability were observed in the different agr genes. agr-related bacterial interference among colonizing S. aureus strains in the noses of persistent and intermittent human carriers was studied. S. aureus strains belonging to different agr groups were encountered in the same individual. This may suggest that the activity of the agrD gene product does not define colonization dynamics, which is further substantiated by the rarity of agr group 2 and 3 strains.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Erasmus University Medical Center Rotterdam, Dr. Molewaterplein 40, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Phone: 31 10 4633668. Fax: 31 10 4633875. E-mail: vanleeuwen{at}bacl.azr.nl.

Journal of Bacteriology, October 2000, p. 5721-5729, Vol. 182, No. 20
0021-9193/00/$04.00+0
Copyright © 2000, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.


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