Staphylococcus aureus pigmentation is not controlled by Hfq

OBJECTIVE: The golden color of Staphylococcus aureus is due to the synthesis of carotenoid pigments. In Gram-negative bacteria, Hfq is a global posttranscriptional regulator, but its function in S. aureus remains obscure. The absence of Hfq in S. aureus was reported to correlate with production of carotenoid pigment leading to the conclusion that Hfq was a negative regulator of the yellow color. However, we reported the construction of hfq mutants in several S. aureus strains and never noticed any color change; we therefore revisited the question of Hfq implication in S. aureus pigmentation. RESULTS: The absence or accumulation of Hfq does not affect S. aureus pigmentation.