Fig. 3: ComK induces the expression of glycolytic genes.

A Classification of comK-regulated genes using TIGRfam, SEED, and Gene Ontology functional categories. For each category, columns represent the number of regulated genes from DESeq analyses using a fold-change threshold of >2. Pairwise comparisons were made of S. aureus strains showing different comK expression levels. The ΔcomK vs. WT comparison (i) involved untreated TSB cultures whereas the Kc vs. WT comparison, and (ii) made use of ROS-induced TSB cultures. Group 1—protein metabolism; group 2—carbohydrate metabolism and respiration; group 3—amino acid (gray) and pigment (white) metabolism; group 4—stress response genes (gray) and phages (white); group 5—virulence and defense; group 6—iron acquisition; group 7—DNA metabolism (gray), cell division (white) and cell envelope (dark green); group 8—other genes. Gene expression changes detected for groups 2 (highlighted in green) and 4 (highlighted in yellow) showed an uniform response under the different growth conditions. Group 2 genes were upregulated in ΔcomK whereas in the Kc strain they were downregulated. Group 4 genes were induced in the ΔcomK mutant but downregulated in the Kc strain. B Voronoi treemap representing genes regulated by comK expression in group 2 (highlighted in green) and group 4 (highlighted in yellow). Genes in which expression was altered are represented and functionally classified. Each section is labeled with the name of the genes represented. C qRT-PCR analysis of glycolytic genes in different S. aureus strains in H₂O₂-treated TSB cultures. pgi glucose-6-phosphate isomerase, pfkA 6-phosphofructokinase, glpD glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, pgm phosphoglucomutase, eno enolase, and pykA pyruvate kinase. Comparisons were made using one-sided ANOVA with Tukey’s test for multiple comparisons; *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01. Data are shown as mean ± SD of three independent experiments (n = 3). Source data are provided as a Source Data file.