Commensal-derived short-chain fatty acids disrupt lipid membrane homeostasis inStaphylococcus aureus

Abstract

AbstractThe role of commensal anaerobic bacteria in chronic respiratory infections is unclear, yet they can exist in abundances comparable to canonical pathogensin vivo. Their contributions to the metabolic landscape of the host environment may influence pathogen behavior by competing for nutrients and creating inhospitable conditions via toxic metabolites. Here, we reveal a mechanism by which the anaerobe-derived short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) propionate and butyrate negatively affectStaphylococcus aureusphysiology by disrupting branched chain fatty acid (BCFA) metabolism. In turn, BCFA impairment results in impaired growth, diminished expression of the agr quorum sensing system, as well as increased sensitivity to membrane-targeting antimicrobials. Altered BCFA metabolism also reducesS. aureusfitness in competition withPseudomonas aeruginosa, suggesting that airway microbiome composition and the metabolites they produce and exchange directly impact pathogen succession over time. The pleiotropic effects of these SCFAs onS. aureusfitness and their ubiquity as metabolites in animals also suggests that they may be effective as sensitizers to traditional antimicrobial agents when used in combination.