Pulmonary Surfactant Promotes Virulence Gene Expression and Biofilm Formation in Klebsiella pneumoniae.

ABSTRACT: The interactions between Klebsiella pneumoniae and the host environment at the site of infection are largely unknown. Pulmonary surfactant serves as an initial point of contact for inhaled bacteria entering the lung and is thought to contain molecular cues that aid colonization and pathogenesis. To gain insight into this ecological transition, we characterized the transcriptional response of K. pneumoniae MGH 78578 to purified pulmonary surfactant. This work revealed changes within the K. pneumoniae transcriptome that likely contribute to host colonization, adaptation, and virulence in vivo Notable transcripts expressed under these conditions include genes involved in capsule synthesis, lipopolysaccharide modification, antibiotic resistance, biofilm formation, a

SUBMITTER: Willsey GG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6013664 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature