S. aureus uses coagulase to form a fibrin coat from fibrinogen present in the bloodstream. This helps the bacteria evade detection and phagocytosis by the immune system.
Coagulase is a protein enzyme produced by several microorganisms that enables the conversion of fibrinogen to fibrin. In the laboratory, it is used to distinguish between different types of Staphylococcus isolates. Importantly, S. aureus is generally coagulase-positive, meaning that a positive coagulase test would indicate the presence of S. aureus or any of the other 11 coagulase-positive Staphylococci.[1] A negative coagulase test would instead show the presence of coagulase-negative organisms such as S. epidermidis or S. saprophyticus. However, it is now known that not all S. aureus are coagulase-positive.[2][3] Whereas coagulase-positive Staphylococci are usually pathogenic, coagulase-negative Staphylococci are more often associated with opportunistic infection.[4]
It is also produced by Yersinia pestis.[5]
Coagulase reacts with prothrombin in the blood. The resulting complex is called staphylothrombin, which enables the enzyme to act as a protease to convert fibrinogen, a plasma protein produced by the liver, to fibrin. This results in clotting of the blood. Coagulase is tightly bound to the surface of the bacterium S. aureus and can coat its surface with fibrin upon contact with blood. The fibrin clot may protect the bacterium from phagocytosis and isolate it from other defenses of the host.[6] The fibrin coat can therefore make the bacteria more virulent. Bound coagulase is part of the larger family of MSCRAMM adhesin proteins.
^Becker et al., 2014. PMID 25278577
^Ryan KJ, Ray CG (editors) (2004). Sherris Medical Microbiology (4th ed.). McGraw Hill. ISBN 0-8385-8529-9.
^PreTest, Surgery, 12th ed., p.88
^González-Martín M, Suárez-Bonnet A, Tejedor-Junco MT (2020). "Virulence factors in coagulase-positive staphylococci of veterinary interest other than Staphylococcus aureus". Veterinary Quarterly. 40 (1): 118–131. doi:10.1080/01652176.2020.1748253. PMC 7178840. PMID 32223696.
^"coagulase" at Dorland's Medical Dictionary
^Tortora, Gerard J.; Funke, Berdell R.; Case, Christine L. (2013). Microbiology: An Introduction (11 ed.). Glenview, IL: Pearson Education Inc. p. 434. ISBN 978-0-321-73360-3.
generally coagulase-positive, meaning that a positive coagulase test would indicate the presence of S. aureus or any of the other 11 coagulase-positive...
gastritis. S. aureus is coagulase-positive, meaning it produces coagulase. However, while the majority of S. aureus strains are coagulase-positive, some may...
trials. The main coagulase-positive staphylococcus is Staphylococcus aureus, although not all strains of Staphylococcus aureus are coagulase positive. These...
Staphylococcus hominis is a coagulase-negative member of the bacterial genus Staphylococcus, consisting of Gram-positive, spherical cells in clusters...
Staphylococcus capitis is a coagulase-negative species (CoNS) of Staphylococcus. It is part of the normal flora of the skin of the human scalp, face,...
human infections are caused by coagulase-positive S. aureus strains, notable for the bacteria's ability to produce coagulase, an enzyme that can clot blood...
Staphylococcus lugdunensis is a coagulase-negative member of the genus Staphylococcus, consisting of Gram-positive bacteria with spherical cells that...
Staphylococcus aureus produces yellow colonies with yellow zones, whereas other coagulase-negative staphylococci produce small pink or red colonies with no colour...
aureus is used in detection of coagulase-positive strains, because of high link between lecithinase activity and coagulase activity. Hanahan DJ (April 1954)...
Staphylococcus haemolyticus is a member of the coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS). It is part of the skin flora of humans, and its largest populations...
coccus bacteria and a member of the genus Staphylococcus. S. caprae is coagulase-negative. It was originally isolated from goats (caprae means "of a goat")...
oxidase-negative, and coagulase-negative, and is a common commensal organism found as part of the skin flora on humans and animals. Like other coagulase-negative staphylococci...
incubation, and is not hemolytic on blood agar. It is a catalase-positive, coagulase-negative, facultative anaerobe that can grow by aerobic respiration or...
Staphylococcus chromogenes is a Gram-positive, coagulase-negative member of the bacterial genus Staphylococcus consisting of clustered cocci. The species...
and are coagulase-positive. Foster, G.; Ross, H. M.; Hutson, R. A.; Collins, M. D. (1 July 1997). "Staphylococcus lutrae sp. nov., a New Coagulase-Positive...
nonmotile, non-spore-forming, facultative anaerobic bacteria. It is coagulase-negative and is probably a commensal organism on the skin of humans. Colonies...
that forms clusters of cells. Like most staphylococcal species, it is coagulase-negative and exists as a commensal on the skin of humans and animals and...
test to detect the presence of an S. aureus infection by the means of coagulase testing, which enables detection of an enzyme produced by the bacterium...
Rothia mucilaginosa is a Gram-positive, coagulase-negative, encapsulated, non-spore-forming and non-motile coccus, present in clusters, tetrads or pairs...
that causes necrotizing fasciitis in humans. By binding to prothrombin, coagulase facilitates clotting in a cell by ultimately converting fibrinogen to...
Staphylococcus simulans is a Gram-positive, coagulase-negative member of the bacterial genus Staphylococcus consisting of single, paired, and clustered...
[citation needed] Its genome has a high G + C content. Micrococcus luteus is coagulase negative, bacitracin susceptible, and forms bright yellow colonies on...
and flavors. Starter cultures, such as lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and coagulase-negative cocci (CNC), like specific strains of Staphylococcus xylosus...
original demonstration in urine specimens. Prior to this, the presence of coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) in urine specimens was dismissed as contamination...
Enterobacteriaceae, Enterococcus species, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans. Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) are also commonly encountered, although it...
common agents include cutaneous species such as Staphylococcus aureus, and coagulase-negative staphylococci, but many others are possible, including fungi...
bacterium of the family Staphylococcaceae. It is facultatively anaerobic, coagulase-variable, and can be readily cultured on blood agar where the bacterium...
Staphylococcus kloosii in a gram-positive, coagulase-negative member of the bacterial genus Staphylococcus consisting of single, paired, and clustered...
indicates whether coagulase is produced. A clot indicates the presence of coagulase, while no clot indicates the lack of coagulase. DNase agar is used...
Global Information