The SaeR/S Two Component System: The Security System of Staphylococcus aureus

Owen Burroughs, Montana State University, Jovanka Voyich, Montana State University
2021 Curiositas  
Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is a common human pathogen that is responsible for thousands of deaths each year. The bacterium's severity is caused, in part, by its ability to detect and evade the human immune system. In this article, Owen Burroughs, an undergraduate researcher in the lab of Dr. Jovanka Voyich, describes his research into the SaeR/S two-component system, a "security system" that allows S. aureus to avoid being killed by immune cells. Over the course of Owen's research, the
more » ... yich lab has determined that the proteins SaeP and SaeQ likely play a major role in the functioning of this security system. By helping us better understand the interactions between S. aureus and its host, this research could pave the way for new treatments and therapies for severe S. aureus infection.
doi:10.15788/f2021.curio1 fatcat:ap5yvbddfbfz3a26bjkmbflai4