Impact of daptomycin resistance on Staphylococcus aureus virulence

Daptomycin resistance (DAP^R) in Staphylococcus aureus is associated with mutations in genes that are also implicated in staphylococcal pathogenesis. Using a laboratory-derived series of DAP exposed strains, we showed a relationship between increasing DAP MIC and reduced virulence in a Galleria mellonella infection model. Point mutations in walK and rpoC led to cumulative reductions in virulence and simultaneous increases in DAP MIC. A point mutation to mprF did not impact on S.aureus virulence; however deletion of mprF led to virulence attenuation and hyper-susceptibility to DAP. To validate our findings in G. mellonella, we confirmed the attenuated virulence of select isolates from the laboratory-derived series using a murine septicaemia model. As a corollary, we showed significant virulence reductions for clinically-derived DAP^Risolates compared to their isogenic, DAP-susceptible progenitors (DAP^S). Intriguingly, each clinical DAP^Risolate was persistent in vivo. Taken together, it appears the genetic correlates underlying daptomycin resistance in S. aureus also alter pathogenicity.