Expression profiling of the Staphylococcus aureus GraSR regulon

The GraS/GraR two-component system has been shown to control cationic antimicrobial peptide (CAMP) resistance in the major human pathogen Staphylococcus aureus. We identified a highly conserved ten base pair palindromic sequence (5’ ACAAATTTGT 3’) located upstream from GraR-regulated genes (mprF and the dltA and vraFG operons), which we show to be essential for transcriptional regulation by GraR and induction in response to colistin, a bacterial CAMP, suggesting it is the likely GraR binding site. Genome-based predictions and transcriptome analysis revealed several novel GraR target genes. Global expression changes between the wild type strain HG001 (a rsbU+ variant of strain NCTC 8325) and a DgraSR mutant, grown to mid-exponential phase in TSB with 50 µg/ml colistin, were examined. Hybridizations were performed in triplicate using RNA isolated from independent cultures.