Small-Colony Variant Selection as a Survival Strategy for Staphylococcus aureus in the Presence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Previously it has been demonstrated that Staphylococcus aureus is sensitive toward Pseudomonas-secreted exotoxins, which preferentially target the electron transport chain in staphylococci. Here it is shown that a subpopulation of S. aureus survives these respiratory toxins of Pseudomonas aeruginosa by selection of the small-colony variant (SCV) phenotype. Purified pyocyanin alone causes the same effect. A hemB mutant of S. aureus survives cocultivation with P. aeruginosa without a decrease in CFU.