Methods to Generate a Sequence-Defined Transposon Mutant Library in Staphylococcus epidermidis Strain 1457

Transposon mutant libraries are valuable resources to investigators studying bacterial species, including Staphylococcus epidermidis , which are difficult to genetically manipulate. Although sequence-defined transposon mutant libraries have been constructed in Staphylococcus aureus , no such library exists for S . epidermidis . Nevertheless, the study of Tn917 -mediated mutations has been paramount in discovering unique aspects of S. epidermidis biology including initial adherence and accumulation during biofilm formation. Herein, we describe modifications to the methodology first described by Bae et al. to utilize the mariner -based transposon bursa aurealis to generate mutants in S. epidermidis strain 1457.