Evolutionary loss of an antibiotic efflux pump increases <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i> quorum sensing mediated virulence <i>in vivo</i>.

ABSTRACT: Antibiotic resistance is one of the most pressing threats to human health, yet recent work highlights how loss of resistance may also drive pathogenesis in some bacteria. In two recent studies, we found that β-lactam antibiotic and nutrient stresses faced during infection selected for the genetic inactivation of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Pa) antibiotic efflux pump mexEFoprN. Unexpectedly, efflux pump mutations increased Pa virulence during infection; however, neither the prevalence of efflux pump inactivating mutations in real human infections, nor the mechanisms driving increased virulence of efflux pump mutants are known. We hypothesized that human infection would select for efflux pump mutations that drive increased virulence in Pa clinical isolates.

SUBMITTER: Fernandes SE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11601840 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature