Understanding the transmission of antibiotic resistance in Staphylococcus aureus

Researchers from Institut Pasteur and its partners have demonstrated for the first time the transmission mechanisms of resistance to methicillin, an antibiotic, in Staphylococcus aureus. This resistance is transmitted from cells that are resistant to cells susceptible to the drug by the transfer of a large chromosomal region, 50 000 base pairs long. To receive this genetic material, staphylococci naturally deploy a complex molecular machinery. This mechanism is favored by the development of bacteria as biofilms which are clumps of microorganisms. The researchers also identified genetic controls that promote biofilm formation, suggesting that targeting this step could be an approach to limit the transmission of antibiotic resistance.

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