金黄色葡萄球菌附属基因调节系统研究进展

金黄色葡萄球菌的微生物病原特性非常复杂并且不断地产生抗生素抗性，目前迫切需要增加对金黄色葡萄球菌的了解。它所引起的疾病与大量毒力因子相关，这些毒力因子的表达是受多个基因调控，其中agr（accessory gene regulator，附属基因调节）是最主要的一个。由于agr系统与人类的多种疾病有关，研究的较为深入，现已成为一个理解群体感应激活和抑制机制的模型系统。agr系统以及其它菌的群体感应系统已经引起了越来越多研究者的注意，本文对agr系统的研究现状、研究过程中发现的问题及其潜在应用价值作了深入地探讨。

Research Progress in Accessory Gene Regulatory System of Staphylococcus aureus

Staphylococcus aureus is a primary pathogen that poses a serious health threat as a consequence of multiantibiotic resistance. S. aureus can cause diverse serious diseases in humans and animals through the production of toxins, most toxin genes are positively controlled by the accessory gene regulator (agr) system which is responsible for the regulation of more than 30 virulence factors in S. aureus. The agr system which could be a useful target for drug selection is one of the most extensively studied quorum sensing systems for its potential relevance to human disease. Yet many questions regarding the agr signaling remain unsolved. Herein, we review the agr system as we currently understand them and discuss the inconsistencies of the role and fundamental mechanisms of agr in staphylococcal infections.