Interaction between bile acids and staphylococcal polysaccharide: inhibition of capsule formation in encapsulated mutant strains (taurine+, taurine−) of Staphylococcus aureus

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Abstract
In a previous paper, we showed that bile acid derivatives inhibit capsule formation as well as taurine biosynthesis in a taurine+ (Tau+) encapsulated strain of Staphylococcus aureus. In the present study, binding of [14C]cholic acid ([14C]CA) and [14C]taurocholic acid ([14C]TA) to the staphylococcal polysaccharide antigen (SPA) of the capsular fraction was examined. The bile acids were found to bind with SPA via taurine of the Tau+ cells. [14C]CA bound with the SPA fraction of the Tau+ strain within 10–30 min, whereas 60–120 min was required in the binding of [14C]TA. Various bile acids competed with cholic acid binding to Tau+ cells which was shown by the inhibition of binding with cholic acid or taurocholic acid but not with glycholic acid. Binding of bile acid derivatives to a Tau− encapsulated mutant or to capsular material from this mutant was not observed.