Current knowledge on regulatory RNAs and their machineries in Staphylococcus aureus

Abstract

Staphylococcus aureus is one of the major human pathogens, which causes numerous community-associated and hospitalacquired infections. The regulation of the expression of numerous virulence factors is coordinated by complex interplays between two component systems, transcriptional regulatory proteins and regulatory RNAs. Recent studies have identified numerous novel RNAs comprising cis-acting regulatory RNAs, antisense RNAs, small non coding RNAs and small mRNAs encoding peptides. We present here several examples of RNAs regulating S. aureus pathogenicity and describe various aspects of antisense regulation. © 2012 Landes Bioscience.