Rapid Method for the Identification of Essential Genes in Staphylococcus aureus

Abstract A strategy based on a vector host-dependent for autonomous replication, pSA3182, was utilized both for the rapid screening for Staphylococcus aureus genes essential for cell viability and for the introduction of specific polarity-neutral deletions in nonessential genes. The results obtained support the use of pSA3182 for both purposes.