The critical human pathogen Acinetobacter baumannii exhibits light-regulated circadian rhythms.

ABSTRACT: Acinetobacter baumannii is recognized as the paradigm of multidrug-resistant superbug, topping the WHO priority list of critical human pathogens. Interestingly, it senses and responds to blue light, which modulates global aspects of its physiology, including pathogenicity. We hypothesized that light could serve as a signal to synchronize the bacterial physiology to the host's behavior and/or to the environment. At environmental temperatures, light regulation is mainly governed by the photoreceptor BlsA. In this work, we identified the existence of daily rhythms in blsA promoter activity displaying a robust response to light, as well as endogenous circadian rhythms in A. baumannii. In fact, we show that blsA promoter activity can be synchronized to 24-hour blue light-dark cycles, which imme

SUBMITTER: Permingeat V 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12484797 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature