Phenotypic heterogeneity of capsule production across opportunistic pathogens.

ABSTRACT: Phenotypic heterogeneity allows bacteria to adapt fast to changing environments. Extracellular capsules are well-known virulence factors, but also increase the cell adaptability and prevalence under hostile conditions. To limit their cost, some species regulate capsule production by genetic phase variation. Here, we demonstrated that phenotypic heterogeneity is a major mechanism controlling capsule production in Klebsiella and Acinetobacter species. We designed a method to agnostically measure heterogeneity and show that 71% of Klebsiella pneumoniae strains can be heterogeneous. This is mostly associated with K. pneumoniae strains that do not encode rmp, a genetic determinant of hypervirulence. Capsule serotype exchanges across several genetic backgrounds

SUBMITTER: Nucci A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12505892 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature