Characterisation of Staphylococcus aureus strains and their prophages that carry horse-specific leukocidin genes lukP/Q

Leukocidins of Staphylococcus (S.) aureus are bicomponent toxins that form polymeric pores in host leukocyte membranes leading to cell death or trigger apoptosis. Some of these toxin genes are located on prophages and are associated with specific hosts. The genes lukP/Q have been described from equine S. aureus isolates. We examined the genomes, including the lukP/Q prophages, of S. aureus strains belonging to clonal complexes CC1, CC350, CC816 and CC8115.