Advances in two-component signal transduction system VraSR of Staphylococcus

Staphylococcus utilizes vancomycin-resistance associated sensor/regulator (VraSR), a two-component signal transduction system (TCS), to sense and respond to cell wall damage and to adapt to environmental changes through regulating transcriptions of downstream genes. It has been indicated that VraSR can regulate the transcription of a series of genes involved in the synthesis of peptidoglycan, drug resistance, and virulence in Staphylococcus aureus (S.aureus). A similar two-component system, VraSR, is also present in Staphylococcus epidermidis (S.epidermidis), sharing a high homology with the VraSR of S. aureus. Little is known about the functions of VraSR in S. epidermidis and it is not yet clear what the similarities and differences in resistance and pathogenicity are. Based on the previous work of our group, a brief review on the regulation mechanism of staphylococcal VraSR was performed. Key words: Two-component signal transduction system; VraSR; Staphylococcus