Native efflux pumps contribute resistance to antimicrobials of skin and the ability of Staphylococcus aureus to colonize skin.

Background:  Staphylococcus aureus colonizes skin in the presence of antimicrobial fatty acids and polyamines. The chromosomally encoded Tet38 efflux transporter confers resistance to tetracycline and fitness in abscesses, but its natural substrates and those of the Nor quinolone efflux pumps are unknown.

Methods:  Susceptibility of tet38 and other pump mutants to and pump gene induction by fatty acids and polyamines were compared.