The Catalase KatA Contributes to Microaerophilic H2O2 Priming to Acquire an Improved Oxidative Stress Resistance in Staphylococcus aureus

Abstract

Staphylococcus aureus has to cope with oxidative stress during infections. In this study, S. aureus was found to be resistant to 100 mM H2O2 during aerobic growth. While KatA was essential for this high aerobic H2O2 resistance, the peroxiredoxin AhpC contributed to detoxification of 0.4 mM H2O2 in the absence of KatA. In addition, the peroxiredoxins AhpC, Tpx and Bcp were found to be required for detoxification of cumene hydroperoxide (CHP). The high H2O2 tolerance of aerobic S. aureus cells was associated with priming by endogenous H2O2 levels, which was supported by an oxidative shift of the bacillithiol redox potential to −291 mV compared to −310 mV in microaerophilic cells. In contrast, S. aureus could be primed by sub-lethal doses of 100 µM H2O2 during microaerophilic growth to acquire an improved resistance towards the otherwise lethal triggering stimulus of 10 mM H2O2. This microaerophilic priming was dependent on increased KatA activity, whereas aerobic cells showed constitutive high KatA activity. Thus, KatA contributes to the high H2O2 resistance of aerobic cells and to microaerophilic H2O2 priming in order to survive the subsequent lethal triggering doses of H2O2, allowing the adaptation of S. aureus under infections to different oxygen environments.

The neutrophil oxidant hypothiocyanous acid causes a thiol-specific stress response and an oxidative shift of the bacillithiol redox potential in Staphylococcus aureus

“…Previous analyses showed that the catalase KatA and the peroxiredoxin AhpCF could compensate for each other in H 2 O 2 detoxification in S. aureus ( 33 , 34 ). Indeed, the ∆ katA ∆ ahpC double mutant was significantly impaired in growth upon HOSCN stress in relation to the WT, supporting that antioxidant enzymes protect against HOSCN-induced oxidative stress.…”

“…Apart from the Δ merA mutant, only the Δ katA Δ ahpC double mutant was sensitive toward HOSCN stress. However, the absence of KatA and AhpC affects aerobic growth due to the hypersensitivity of the Δ katA Δ ahpC mutant toward H 2 O 2 stress ( 33 , 34 ). Since overexpression of KatA and AhpC in the Δ perR mutant did not provide a growth advantage under HOSCN stress, the role of the antioxidant enzymes KatA and AhpC in protection against HOSCN-induced ROS formation remains unclear.…”

“…Additionally, S. aureus encodes several antioxidant enzymes, such as the catalase KatA and the peroxiredoxin AhpCF, which play compensatory roles in the detoxification of the majority of H 2 O 2 and confer high aerobic peroxide resistance ( 33 , 34 ). The LMW thiol bacillithiol (BSH) and its associated bacilliredoxin (Brx)/BSH/bacillithiol disulfide reductase (YpdA) pathway function in the defense against ROS and HOCl stress in S. aureus ( 35 – 38 ).…”

Rhein against Staphylococcus xylosus by interfering with respiratory metabolism and inducing oxidative stress

“…Q6PXX2 and Q9EV50 (katA) proteins are catalases that induce the conversion of H 2 O 2 to H 2 O in bacteria ( Linzner et al, 2022 ). It has been found that disruption of katA can lead to increased levels of ROS in Proteus mirabilis , resulting in increased bacterial susceptibility to H 2 O 2 and reduced biofilm biomass ( White et al, 2021 ).…”

Identification of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus Isolated from Dairy Cow’s Milk in Tulungagung District, Indonesia

“…Gram-stained S. aureus bacteria displayed purple coloration under a 1000x magnification microscope and a clustered, spherical morphology that is typical of Staphylococcus germs (Kobayashi et al, 2020). A positive catalase test result means that the bacteria are either aerobic or facultatively anaerobic, meaning that they use oxygen to breathe (Linzner et al, 2022). A positive coagulase test result means S. aureus can produce coagulase enzymes that can cause the activation of nonproteolytic pro-thrombin and fibrinogen cleavage (Trivedi et al, 2018).…”