Bacterial extracellular vesicles (EVs) have a vital role in bacterial pathogenesis. However, to date, the small RNA-cargo of EVs released by the opportunistic pathogen Staphylococcus aureus has not been characterized. Here, we shed light on the association of small RNAs with EVs secreted by S. aureus MSSA476 cultured in iron-depleted bacteriologic media supplemented with a subinhibitory dosage of vancomycin to mimic infection condition. Confocal microscopy analysis on intact RNase-treated EVs indicated that RNA is associated with EV particles. Transcriptomic followed by bioinformatics analysis of EV-associated RNA revealed the presence of potential gene regulatory small RNAs and high levels of tRNAs. Among the EV-associated enriched small RNAs were SsrA, RsaC and RNAIII. Our finding invites new insights into the potential role of EV-associated RNA as a modulator of host-pathogen interaction.

细菌细胞外囊泡（EVs）在细菌发病中起着至关重要的作用。然而，迄今为止，机会病原体释放出的小型电动汽车RNA货物金黄色葡萄球菌尚未被表征。在这里，我们阐明了小RNA与由金黄色葡萄球菌在补充了亚抑制剂量万古霉素的贫铁细菌培养基中培养的MSSA476可以模拟感染状况。对完整的RNase处理的电动汽车进行共聚焦显微镜分析表明，RNA与电动汽车颗粒相关。转录组学，随后对EV相关RNA进行生物信息学分析，发现存在潜在的基因调控小RNA和高水平的tRNA。在EV相关的富集小RNA中，有SsrA，RsaC和RNAIII。我们的发现吸引了有关EV相关RNA作为宿主-病原体相互作用调节剂的潜在作用的新见解。