The bacterium Staphylococcus aureus utilizes a variety of different mechanisms to survive
unfavorable stress conditions that are critical for its persistence in the environment and for
pathogenicity. The staphylococcal DnaK heat shock system functions as a major protein
folding machine under stress conditions that cause aggregation and un-folding of proteins.
In prior studies, S. aureus cells with a non-functional DnaK system showed reduced
tolerance to heat, oxidative and antibiotic stresses, a lowered carotenoid production, and …