Essential gene knockdowns reveal genetic vulnerabilities and antibiotic sensitivities in Acinetobacter baumannii.

ABSTRACT: The emergence of multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria underscores the need to define genetic vulnerabilities that can be therapeutically exploited. The Gram-negative pathogen, Acinetobacter baumannii, is considered an urgent threat due to its propensity to evade antibiotic treatments. Essential cellular processes are the target of existing antibiotics and a likely source of new vulnerabilities. Although A. baumannii essential genes have been identified by transposon sequencing, they have not been prioritized by sensitivity to knockdown or antibiotics. Here, we take a systems biology approach to comprehensively characterize A. baumannii essential genes using CRISPR interference (CRISPRi). We show that certain essential genes and pathways are acutely sensitive to k

SUBMITTER: Ward RD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10865783 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature