Lipopolysaccharide clustering in colistin persistent and resistant bacteria.

ABSTRACT: Polymyxin antibiotics target lipopolysaccharides (LPS) in Gram-negative bacteria, but persistence and mcr-mediated resistance increasingly compromise their therapeutic efficacy. Here, we use super-resolution localisation microscopy to investigate the nanoscale organisation of LPS and membrane lipids in colistin-persistent Escherichia Pseudomonas aeruginosa. We find that persister cells exhibit heterogeneous LPS and membrane lipid distributions, with localised LPS clustering along the cell envelope, compared to susceptible cells. Unexpectedly, mcr-1-positive E. coli displays a similar LPS clustering phenotype to that of persisters, without altering membrane organisation. These findings suggest that both persistence and resistance involve envelope reorganisation, with increased LPS clusterin

SUBMITTER: Wang F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12559395 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature