Role of SraP in adherence of Staphylococcus aureus to the bovine mammary epithelia

SraP, a platelet-binding surface protein of Staphylococcus aureus, is involved in the pathogenesis of infective endocarditis. In this study, we investigated the importance of SraP in the pathogenesis of bovine mastitis. By means of PCR, sraP was detected in all the isolates tested from bovine bulk milk and humans. However, SraP was not expressed on the cell surface in half of the bovine isolates. Moreover, disruption of sraP did not affect the ability of S. aureus to adhere to cultured bovine mammary epithelial cells. These results suggest that SraP does not seem to be an important factor for S. aureus to adhere to the bovine mammary epithelia.