Cross-species communication viaagrcontrols phage susceptibility inStaphylococcus aureus

Abstract

AbstractBacteria and their viruses (phages) use quorum sensing (QS) systems to coordinate group behavior. InStaphylococcus aureus, QS plays a critical role in the transition from colonization to infection and involves the accumulation of auto-inducing peptides (AIPs). Humans and animals are also colonized by non-aureus staphylococci (NAS) that produce AIPs, many of which inhibitS. aureusQS. We found that QS induction is necessary forS. aureussusceptibility to the lytic phage, Stab20 and that in mixed communities with NAS producing inhibitory AIPs,S. aureusis protected from phage infection. The primary phage receptors inS. aureusare wall teichoic acids (WTA) substituted with α- and/or β-linked N- acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc). We show that QS induction reduces α-GlcNAc substitutions and enables Stab20 infection through binding to β-glycosylated WTA. However, in the presence of inhibitory AIPs or during co-culture with NAS, QS induction and Stab20 infection are impeded. Our results highlight how cross-species communication can significantly impact bacterial susceptibility to phages and may explain occasional failures observed when phages are used as antimicrobials in for example phage therapy.