Global regulator with both positive and negative effects that mediates modulation of several genes involved in virulence. Negatively regulates the transcription of several known virulence factors such as lipase (geh), hemolysins (hla and hlb) and proteases (splA through splF, sspB and sspC). Positively regulates the expression of sarS and other genes including those encoding cell surface adhesins (clfB, sdrC and spa). Also, modulates the expression of genes not previously implicated in pathogenesis. Virulence accessory gene regulator (Agr) and Rot have opposing effects on the expression of selected target genes and agr also controls negatively rot activity by an unknown mechanism. Belongs to the rot family.