To be an effective pathogen and survive in the host, S. aureus secretes an array of tissue-degrading enzymes, toxins, and superantigens. One of these enzymes, the secreted nuclease (Nuc) is important for S. aureus pathogenesis. Berends et al. determined that Nuc contributes to the severity of CA MRSA lung infection and evasion of neutrophil extracellular traps. The production of Nuc is conserved across methicillin-susceptible S. aureus and MRSA strains, and thus, it has been used as a marker for the direct detection of S. aureus.