Horizontal transfer and phylogenetic distribution of the immune evasion factor tarP

• DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.951333
• Publication Date: 2022-10-28T07:48:50Z
• Authors: David Gerlach; Raphael N. Sieber; Jesper Larsen; Janes Krusche; Cristina De Castro; Juliane Baumann; Antonio Molinaro; Andreas Peschel
• Keywords: Prophage; Teichoic acid; Horizontal Gene Transfer; clone (Java method); Evasion (ethics)

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a major human pathogen, uses the prophage-encoded tarP gene as an important immune evasion factor. TarP glycosylates wall teichoic acid (WTA) polymers, S. surface antigens, to impair WTA immunogenicity and impede host defence. However, phages appear be restricted only few MRSA clonal lineages, including complexes (CC) 5 398, for unknown reasons. We demonstrate here that -encoding prophages can mobilized lysogenize other strains. transfer is largely closely related clones. Most of non-transducible clones encode tarM , which generates glycosylation pattern distinct from mediated by TarP. does not interfere with infection phages. Clonal complex-specific Type I restriction-modification systems were reasons resistance phage infection. Nevertheless, found also in unrelated indicating has potential spread distant lineages contribute evolution new