Application of Co-Culture and Simulated-Vaginal Models to Elucidate the Inhibitory Properties of Naturally Occurring and Bioengineered Strains of Lactobacillus Toward Toxic-Shock Syndrome Toxin-1 (TSST-1) Producing Strains of Staphylococcus aureus

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<li>Determine the inhibitory effects of a select group of lactobacilli with probiotic potential on a wide variety of S. aureus TSST-1 producing strains isolated from patients with Toxic Shock Syndrome using previously developed co-culture system and the vaginal tract (toroid) model with recently developed genital tract secretion medium.</li>
<li>Generate transcriptional and proteomic profiles of Lactobacillus sp. and S. aureus strains using previously developed co-culture system and identify gene systems and proteins critical for inhibition of S. aureus growth and/or TSST-1 production.</li>
<li>Isolate and clone the lysostaphin gene, an endopeptidase that specifically cleaves the cell wall cross-linking pentaglycine bridges of S. aureus, into a select group of lactobacilli and determine expression levels of lysostaphin as well as inhibitory capacity of engineered lactobacilli against S. aureus in the co-culture system and the vaginal tract (toroid) model.</li></ol></p>