Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections impact all patient populations both in the community and in health care settings. Despite advances in our knowledge of MRSA virulence, little is known about the regulatory mechanisms of USA100 health care-associated MRSA isolates, which are the second most frequently identified MRSA isolates found in all infections. This work focused on the contribution of the USA100 agr type II quorum-sensing system to virulence and antibiotic resistance. From a MRSA strain collection, we selected 16 representative USA100 isolates, constructed mutants with Δagr mutations, and characterized selected strain pairs for virulence factor expression, murine skin infection, and antibiotic resistance. For each strain pair, hemolysis and extracellular protease expression were significantly greater in the wild-type (WT) strains than in the Δagr mutants. Similarly, mice challenged with the WT strains had larger areas of dermonecrosis and greater weight loss than those challenged with the Δagr mutants, demonstrating that the USA100 agr system regulates virulence. Although USA100 isolates exhibit a high level of antibiotic resistance, the WT and Δagr strain pairs showed no difference in MICs by MIC testing. However, in the presence of a sub-MIC of vancomycin, most of the USA100 Δagr mutants exhibited slower growth than the WT isolates, and a couple of the Δagr mutants also grew more slowly in the presence of a sub-MIC of cefoxitin. Altogether, our findings demonstrate that the USA100 agr system is a critical regulator of virulence, and it may have a contribution to the optimal survival of these MRSA strains in the presence of antibiotics. IMPORTANCE USA100 health care-associated MRSA isolates are highly antibiotic resistant and can cause invasive disease across all patient populations. Even though USA100 strains are some of the most frequently identified causes of infections, little is known about virulence regulation in these isolates. Our study demonstrates that the USA100 agr quorum-sensing system is important for the control of toxin and exoenzyme production and that the agr system has a key role in skin infection. In some USA100 isolates, the agr system is important for growth in the presence of low levels of antibiotics. Altogether, our findings demonstrate that the USA100 agr system is a critical regulator of virulence and that it may make a contribution to the optimal survival of these MRSA strains in the presence of antibiotics.

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Previous reports have suggested the primary mode of action of the allelochemical hydroquinone involves disruption of root cell membrane transport. Here we report the effects of hydroquinone on common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) plants. Growth of leaves, roots and stems were all inhibited by 14 day exposure to 0.01 mM or 0.25 mM hydroquinone. Chlorophyll fluorescence (Fv/Fm) was inhibited by 0.25 mM hydroquinone. The membrane potential of P. vulgaris root cortex cells briefly hyperpolarized and subsequently slowly transiently depolarized upon abrupt exposure to a range of hydroquinone concentrations. Both the hyperpolarization and depolarization were concentration dependent but appeared saturable. Root cells exposed to 0.03 mM hydroquinone hyperpolarized 3.4 mV (+/- 0.6 s.e.) 3 minutes after the start of exposure then depolarized 36.7 mV (+/- 3.9) with no effect evident after 24 hours. Individual recordings showed a response to as little as 0.001 mM hydroquinone. Exposure of P. vulgaris root cells to arbutin, a nontoxic monoglucoside of hydroquinone, produced a similar but much smaller (approximately 25%) electrical response. Exposure of root cells of Antennaria microphylla, a known allelopathic source (donor plant) of hydroquinone, also produced a much smaller hyperpolarization and depolarization response. It is concluded that the electrical response to hydroquinone by P. vulgaris root cells and the changes in membrane transport they represent are not sufficiently large or long lasting enough to disrupt mineral and water uptake leading to plant injury. The possibility, however, that these events are related to initiation of signal transduction events leading to cell death is discussed.

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