TRANSCRIPTIONAL REGULATION OF THE STAPHYLOCOCCUS-AUREUS COLLAGEN ADHESIN GENE, CNA

We demonstrate that transcription of the Staphylococcus aureus collage n adhesin gene (cna) is temporally regulated, with expression being hi ghest in exponentially growing cultures and falling to almost undetect able levels as cultures enter the post-exponential-growth phase. The t emporal regulation of cna transcription was not affected by mutation o f agr. We also demonstrate that the collagen adhesin is expressed by b oth agr(+) and agr-negative S. aureus cells growing in bone.