A novel nitroreductase of Staphylococcus aureus with S-nitrosoglutathione reductase activity.

In this report we show that inactivation of the putative nitroreductase SA0UHSC_00833 (ntrA) increases the sensitivity of Staphylococcus aureus to S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) and augments its resistance to nitrofurans. S. aureus NtrA is a bifunctional enzyme that exhibits nitroreductase and GSNO reductase activity. A phylogenetic analysis suggests that NtrA is a member of a novel family of nitroreductases that seems to play a dual role in vivo, promoting nitrofuran activation and protecting the cell against transnitrosylation.