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Genomic analysis of the host-specific pathogenesis of Staphylococcus aureus

Reference	BB/D521222/1
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Professor Ross Fitzgerald
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors
Institution	University of Edinburgh
Department	Medical Microbiology
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	232,794
Status	Completed
Type	Research Grant
Start date	01/01/2006
End date	31/12/2008
Duration	36 months

Abstract

Staphylococcus aureus is a major human and animal pathogen. Population genetic analyses have shown that there is limited cross-species transfer of S. aureus strains suggesting that they have evolved to infect a preferred host. The current project involves the use of genomic approaches to investigate the evolution of host-specialisation in S. aureus natural populations and to explore its molecular basis.

Summary

Staphylococus aureus causes life-threatening infections of humans and economically important infections of domestic animals such as mastitis. There is very limited cross-species transfer of infections suggesting that individual S. aureus clones have evolved the mechanisms required to infect a single host only. The purpose of this project is to identify what factors are produced by S. aureus which contribute to pathogenesis of specific animal hosts. In addition, the evolution of S. aureus clones infecting different animal species will be explored. The work will be carried out using whole-genome microarrays. Microarrays consist of glass slides which can represent each of the genes identified in the whole genome of that organism. The microarray allows the comparison of the genome content of many bacterial isolates. We will then determine if the genes are being expressed during animal infection by measuring the antibody response to specific factors. This would indicate that the proteins are involved in host-pathogen interactions and may play a role in causing disease. Taken together, this study will provide new insights into S. aureus evolution and pathogenesis and will identify new targets for vaccine or therapeutic development.

Committee	Closed Committee - Animal Sciences (AS)
Research Topics	Animal Health, Immunology, Microbiology
Research Priority	X – Research Priority information not available
Research Initiative	X - not in an Initiative
Funding Scheme	X – not Funded via a specific Funding Scheme

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