WGS of S. aureus with mutations in the ica operon from CF-patients

Whole genome sequences of Staphylococcus aureus isolates recovered from sputum cultures of two cystic fibrosis patients, who are persistently infected by S. aureus (more than 10 years). To confirm the clonal origin of a special mucoid phenotype with a 5bp deletion in the intergenic region of the ica-operon, a non-mucoid and mucoid isolate cultured either at the same day (patient 8) or very close together (patient 7) were sequenced by next generation sequencing. The other sequentially recovered isolates (up to 7 years difference in isolation) carry the 5bp deletion and compensatory mutations in various ica-genes leading to non-mucoid phenotypes.