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. 2012 May 1;5(3):275-7.
doi: 10.4161/cib.19420.

Phenol-soluble modulins in staphylococci: What are they originally for?

Saravanan Periasamy  1 , Som S Chatterjee, Gordon Y C Cheung, Michael Otto
Affiliations

Phenol-soluble modulins in staphylococci: What are they originally for?

Saravanan Periasamy et al. Commun Integr Biol. .

Abstract

Phenol-soluble modulins (PSMs) are amphipathic peptides produced by staphylococci that have multiple functions in pathogenesis. For example, they may function as cytotoxins and pro-inflammatory agents. Additionally, in a recent study we demonstrated that Staphylococcus aureus PSMs structure biofilms and cause dissemination during biofilm infection. Based on those results suggesting a surfactant-like mechanism by which PSMs work, we here propose that all PSM functions in pathogenesis arose from an original role in non-pathogenic surface colonization. This original role may have included overcoming surface tension in environments of strongly varying hydrophobicity and emulsification of hydrophobic molecules for use as food sources.

Keywords: Staphylococcus aureus; Staphylococcus epidermidis; biofilm; colonization; toxins.

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Comment on

  • Periasamy S, Joo HS, Duong AC, Bach TH, Tan VY, Chatterjee SS, et al. How Staphylococcus aureus biofilms develop their characteristic structure. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2012;109:1281–6. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1115006109. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1115006109

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