A small regulatory RNA controls antibiotic tolerance inStaphylococcus aureusby modulating efflux pump expression

Abstract

AbstractStaphylococcus aureusis an opportunistic pathogen that poses a considerable burden to healthcare settings worldwide, aided by its ability to thrive in different environmental growth conditions and survive exposure to antibiotics. Small regulatory RNAs (sRNAs) are crucial in enhancing bacterial fitness by modulating gene expression in response to changing environmental conditions. We investigated the role of sRNAs inS. aureusantibiotic resistance and tolerance. By assessing the fitness of a library of sRNA mutants, we identified that RsaA sRNA is required for bacterial growth when exposed to low concentrations of fluoroquinolone, a class of antibiotics targeting DNA replication. We also found that in the absence of RsaA,S. aureusis less susceptible to β-lactam antibiotics, which act on the cell wall. RsaA has been reported to prevent the expression of MgrA, a master regulatory protein controlling the expression of efflux pumps. Here, we show that RsaA affects the sensitivity ofS. aureusto fluoroquinolone and β-lactam antibiotics through MgrA. RsaA has two forms, a short one that is commonly referred to in RsaA studies, and a long form about twice the length, of which not much is known. Interestingly, our phenotype was restored only when complemented with the long form of the gene. This work demonstrates the role of regulatory RNAs in the adaptation ofS. aureusto antibiotic resistance and highlights their value as potential therapeutic targets for manipulating individual sRNA responses to promote the efficacy of existing antibiotics.