Stress responses in food related Staphylococcus aureus by functional genomics

Bacteria respond to environmental changes by rapid and complicated regulation in the gene expression consisting of overlapping global regulatory networks and adaptive genetic programmes. We want to study stress responses using DNA microarrays in different strains of S. aureus under conditions important for survival under conditions encountered during washing, disinfection and food processing in the food industry. TIGR (The Institute for Genomic Research, USA) has chosen MATFORSK for research on food- associated S. aureus and will provide free arrays and technical support. Considering the importance of the bacterium, little is known about the genes and the regulation of genes involved in the stress responses of clinical S. aureus, even less is known fo r food related strains. There is a large variability between different strains. S.aureus strains that have caused food borne outbreaks and clinical strains will be compared by genome hybridisations. Gene expression will be determined for S. aureus that ar e subjected to different stress conditions. Biofilms will be produced on stainless steel and genes involved in early biofilm formation investigated. Selected sets of genes will be subjected to more thorough time course studies. This project may lead to ne w approaches to combat S. aureus in food and clinical environments.