Aureolysin of <i>Staphylococcus warneri</i> M accelerates its proteolytic cascade, and participates in biofilm formation

The aureolysin (Aur) gene of <i>S. warneri</i> M (<i>aurWM</i>) was cloned and sequenced. Analyses of the <i>aurWM</i>-inactivated mutant (<i>S. warneri</i> Mau) suggested that AurWM was probably associated with efficient processing of the PROM protease (homolog of V8/SspA serine protease), whereas considerable amount of mature-PROC protease (homolog of SspB cysteine protease) accumulated without AurWM. Additionally, AurWM appeared to affect biofilm formation in an uncertain suppressive way.