Proteomics of Staphylococcus aureus: Understanding pathogenicity and identification of diagnostic biomarkers

Staphylococcus aureus is a major pathogen responsible for a range of serious infections, posing clinical challenges due to its ability to evade the host immune system, develop resistance to multiple antibiotics, and persist in various environments. This study employs proteomic approaches to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying S. aureus pathogenicity and to identify potential diagnostic biomarkers. Firstly, a benchmarking standard was utilized to systematically evaluate the impact of data acquisition, commonly used software packages and quantification strategies on protein identifications and quantitative accuracy. The results of this study helped us choose the most optimal proteomics workflow to analyze proteome dynamics of S. aureus during invasion of human cells. Our findings reveal distinct protein expression patterns associated with virulence factors, invasion mechanisms and bacterial survival strategies. Furthermore, by analyzing the surface proteome of several clinical S. aureus we identified several potential peptide biomarkers with high diagnostic potential, which could facilitate early and accurate detection of S. aureus infections. These insights not only enhance our understanding of the pathogen's virulence mechanisms but also pave the way for the development of targeted diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.