<i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> Extracellular Vesicles: A Story of Toxicity and the Stress of 2020

<i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> generates and releases extracellular vesicles (EVs) that package cytosolic, cell-wall associated, and membrane proteins, as well as glycopolymers and exoproteins, including alpha hemolysin, leukocidins, phenol-soluble modulins, superantigens, and enzymes. <...

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Main Authors: Xiaogang Wang, Paul F. Koffi, Olivia F. English, Jean C. Lee
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-01-01
Series:Toxins
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6651/13/2/75
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author Xiaogang Wang
Paul F. Koffi
Olivia F. English
Jean C. Lee
author_facet Xiaogang Wang
Paul F. Koffi
Olivia F. English
Jean C. Lee
author_sort Xiaogang Wang
collection DOAJ
description <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> generates and releases extracellular vesicles (EVs) that package cytosolic, cell-wall associated, and membrane proteins, as well as glycopolymers and exoproteins, including alpha hemolysin, leukocidins, phenol-soluble modulins, superantigens, and enzymes. <i>S. aureus</i> EVs, but not EVs from pore-forming toxin-deficient strains, were cytolytic for a variety of mammalian cell types, but EV internalization was not essential for cytotoxicity. Because <i>S. aureus</i> is subject to various environmental stresses during its encounters with the host during infection, we assessed how these exposures affected EV production in vitro. Staphylococci grown at 37 °C or 40 °C did not differ in EV production, but cultures incubated at 30 °C yielded more EVs when grown to the same optical density. <i>S. aureus</i> cultivated in the presence of oxidative stress, in iron-limited media, or with subinhibitory concentrations of ethanol, showed greater EV production as determined by protein yield and quantitative immunoblots. In contrast, hyperosmotic stress or subinhibitory concentrations of erythromycin reduced <i>S. aureus</i> EV yield. EVs represent a novel <i>S. aureus</i> secretory system that is affected by a variety of stress responses and allows the delivery of biologically active pore-forming toxins and other virulence determinants to host cells.
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spelling doaj.art-17ea19fdf31b4ccb89370eb4ef787c3a2023-12-03T13:59:57ZengMDPI AGToxins2072-66512021-01-011327510.3390/toxins13020075<i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> Extracellular Vesicles: A Story of Toxicity and the Stress of 2020Xiaogang Wang0Paul F. Koffi1Olivia F. English2Jean C. Lee3Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USABrigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USABrigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USABrigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA<i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> generates and releases extracellular vesicles (EVs) that package cytosolic, cell-wall associated, and membrane proteins, as well as glycopolymers and exoproteins, including alpha hemolysin, leukocidins, phenol-soluble modulins, superantigens, and enzymes. <i>S. aureus</i> EVs, but not EVs from pore-forming toxin-deficient strains, were cytolytic for a variety of mammalian cell types, but EV internalization was not essential for cytotoxicity. Because <i>S. aureus</i> is subject to various environmental stresses during its encounters with the host during infection, we assessed how these exposures affected EV production in vitro. Staphylococci grown at 37 °C or 40 °C did not differ in EV production, but cultures incubated at 30 °C yielded more EVs when grown to the same optical density. <i>S. aureus</i> cultivated in the presence of oxidative stress, in iron-limited media, or with subinhibitory concentrations of ethanol, showed greater EV production as determined by protein yield and quantitative immunoblots. In contrast, hyperosmotic stress or subinhibitory concentrations of erythromycin reduced <i>S. aureus</i> EV yield. EVs represent a novel <i>S. aureus</i> secretory system that is affected by a variety of stress responses and allows the delivery of biologically active pore-forming toxins and other virulence determinants to host cells.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6651/13/2/75<i>Staphylococcus aureus</i>extracellular vesiclestoxinsstress
spellingShingle Xiaogang Wang
Paul F. Koffi
Olivia F. English
Jean C. Lee
<i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> Extracellular Vesicles: A Story of Toxicity and the Stress of 2020
Toxins
<i>Staphylococcus aureus</i>
extracellular vesicles
toxins
stress
title <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> Extracellular Vesicles: A Story of Toxicity and the Stress of 2020
title_full <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> Extracellular Vesicles: A Story of Toxicity and the Stress of 2020
title_fullStr <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> Extracellular Vesicles: A Story of Toxicity and the Stress of 2020
title_full_unstemmed <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> Extracellular Vesicles: A Story of Toxicity and the Stress of 2020
title_short <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> Extracellular Vesicles: A Story of Toxicity and the Stress of 2020
title_sort i staphylococcus aureus i extracellular vesicles a story of toxicity and the stress of 2020
topic <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i>
extracellular vesicles
toxins
stress
url https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6651/13/2/75
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AT paulfkoffi istaphylococcusaureusiextracellularvesiclesastoryoftoxicityandthestressof2020
AT oliviafenglish istaphylococcusaureusiextracellularvesiclesastoryoftoxicityandthestressof2020
AT jeanclee istaphylococcusaureusiextracellularvesiclesastoryoftoxicityandthestressof2020