Host Nitric Oxide Disrupts Microbial Cell-to-Cell Communication to Inhibit Staphylococcal Virulence (Cell Host & Microbe)

Quorum sensing regulates staphylococcal virulence and mediates the transition of S. aureus from a commensal organism to a pathogen. Urbano et al. demonstrate that the innate immunity molecule nitric oxide can directly target the quorum sensing regulator AgrA to inhibit toxin production and protect the host against staphylococcal infection.