S_aureus_&_triclosan. Staphylococcus aureus

A triclosan-ciprofloxacin cross-resistant mutant strain of Staphylococcus aureus displays an alteration in the expression of several cell membrane structural and functional genes. Triclosan is an antimicrobial agent found in many consumer products. Several studies have demonstrated that triclosan inhibits the bacterial fatty acid biosynthetic enzyme, enoyl-ACP reductase (FabI). Studies have also demonstrated that decreased susceptibility to triclosan correlates with ciprofloxacin resistance in several bacteria. In these bacteria, resistance to both drugs maps to genes encoding multi-drug efflux pumps. The focus of this study was to determine whether triclosan resistance contributes to ciprofloxacin resistance in Staphylococcus aureus. Gene expression profiling was performed to compare the gene expression profiles of unexposed and triclosan-exposed wild-type and JJ5 determined that an alteration in global gene expression possibly resulting in a change in cell membrane structure and function is likely responsible for triclosan and ciprofloxacin resistance in JJ5. Keywords: Treatment response Overall design: WT and triclosan resistant mutant were treated with triclosan and their gene expression was compared to their untreated conterparts.