Determinants of Extreme β-Lactam Tolerance in the Burkholderia pseudomallei Complex.

ABSTRACT: Slow-growing bacteria are insensitive to killing by antibiotics, a trait known as antibiotic tolerance. In this study, we characterized the genetic basis of an unusually robust β-lactam (meropenem) tolerance seen in Burkholderia species. We identified tolerance genes under three different slow-growth conditions by extensive transposon mutant sequencing (Tn-seq), followed by single mutant validation. There were three principal findings. First, mutations in a small number of genes reduced tolerance under multiple conditions. Most of the functions appeared to be specific to peptidoglycan synthesis and the response to its disruption by meropenem action rather than being associated with more general physiological processes. The top tolerance genes are involved in immunity toward a type VI toxin

SUBMITTER: Held K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5913950 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature