Staphylococcus aureus Enters Hair Follicles Using Triacylglycerol Lipases Preserved through the Genus Staphylococcus

This study explored the mechanism by which Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) enters hair follicles, focusing on the role of lipases, specifically gehA (SAL-1) and gehB (SAL-2), regulated by the agr system. Using methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) strains on murine skin, it was observed that the wild-type strain caused significant inflammation and skin damage, whereas mutants lacking these lipases or the agr system showed reduced effects. The research highlighted that the lipase gehB was critical for S. aureus to penetrate the lipid-rich infundibulum of hair follicles. The study concluded that lipases, especially gehB, were essential for S. aureus colonization in hair follicles and were highly conserved across the Staphylococcus genus, underscoring their role in bacterial metabolism and adaptation.