Adaptation beyond the Stress Response: Cell Structure Dynamics and Population Heterogeneity in Staphylococcus aureus

Staphylococcus aureus, a major opportunistic pathogen responsible for a broad spectrum of infections, naturallyinhabits the human nasal cavity in about 30% of the population. The unique adaptive potential displayed by S. aureushas made it one of the major causes of nosocomial infections today, emphasized by the rapid emergence of multipleantibiotic-resistant strains over the past few decades. The uncanny ability to adapt to harsh environments is essentialfor staphylococcal persistence in infections or as a commensal, and a growing body of evidence has revealed criticalroles in this process for cellular structural dynamics, and population heterogeneity. These two exciting areas ofresearch are now being explored to identify new molecular mechanisms governing these adaptational strategies