Project description:Acinetobacter baumannii is a nosocomial Gram-negative pathogen that often displays multidrug-resistance due to its robust outer membrane and its ability to acquire and retain extracellular DNA. Moreover, it can survive for prolonged durations on surfaces and is resistant to desiccation. Discovering new antibiotics against A. baumannii has proven challenging through conventional screening approaches. Fortunately, machine learning methods allow for the rapid exploration of chemical space, increasing the probability of discovering new chemical matter with antibacterial activity against this burdensome pathogen. Here, we screened ~7,500 molecules for those that inhibited the growth of A. baumannii in vitro. We trained a deep neural network with this growth inhibition dataset and performed predictions on the Drug Repurposing Hub for structurally novel molecules with activity against A. baumannii. Through this approach, we discovered abaucin, an antibacterial compound with narrow-spectrum activity against A. baumannii, which could overcome intrinsic and acquired resistance mechanisms in clinical isolates. Further investigations revealed that abaucin perturbs lipoprotein trafficking through a mechanism involving LolE, a functionally conserved protein that contributes to shuttling lipoproteins from the inner membrane to the outer membrane. Moreover, abaucin was able to control an A. baumannii infection in a murine wound model. Together, this work highlights the utility of machine learning in discovering new antibiotics and describes a promising lead with narrow-spectrum activity against a challenging Gram-negative pathogen.
Project description:Loss of LdtJ in Acinetobacter baumannii disrupts cell morphology, downregulates peptidoglycan precursor genes (e.g., dadA, alr), and activates the stringent response, including elevated ppGpp levels and dksA upregulation. These defects are fully suppressed in a ∆ldtJ ∆mla double mutant, implicating the outer membrane lipid transport Mla pathway in compensatory regulation. RNA sequencing revealed that transcriptional changes in the ∆ldtJ mutant are reversed in the double mutant, highlighting a functional interplay between peptidoglycan remodeling and outer membrane lipid asymmetry.
Project description:Carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) is a recognized nosocomial pathogen with limited therapeutics options. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) constitute a promising therapeutic alternative. Here we aimed to study the antibacterial properties of a collection of LAB strains using phenotypic and transcriptomic analysis against A. baumannii clinical strains. One strain, Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus CRL 2244, exerts a strong inhibitory capacity on A. baumannii with a strong killing activity. Scanning electron microscopy images showed changes in the morphology of A. baumannii with an increase formation of outer membrane vesicles. Significant changes in the expression levels a wide variety of genes were observed. Interestingly, most of the modified genes were involved in metabolic pathway known to be associated with bacterial survival. The paa operon, Hut system, and fatty acid degradation were some of the pathways that have been induced. The data reveals the impact of Lcb. rhamnosus CRL 2244 on A. baumannii response, resulting in bacterial stress and subsequent cell death. These findings highlight the antibacterial properties of Lcb. rhamnosus CRL 2244 and its potential as an alternative or complementary strategy for treating infections. Further exploration and development of this LAB as a treatment option could provide valuable alternatives for combating CRAB infections.
Project description:We recently demonstrated that colistin resistance in Acinetobacter baumannii can result from mutational inactivation of genes essential for lipid A biosynthesis. Consequently, strains harboring these mutations are unable to produce the major Gram negative bacterial surface component, lipopolysaccharide (LPS). To understand how A. baumannii compensates for the lack of LPS, we compared the transcriptional profile of the A. baumannii type strain ATCC19606, to that of an isogenic, LPS-deficient, lpxA mutant strain. Analysis of the expression profiles indicated that the LPS-deficient strain showed increased expression of many genes involved in cell envelope and membrane biogenesis. In particular, up-regulated genes included those involved in the Lol lipoprotein transport system and the Mla-retrograde phospholipid transport system. In addition, genes involved in the synthesis and transport of poly-beta-1,6-N-acetylglucosamine (PNAG) were also up-regulated and a corresponding increase in PNAG production was observed. The LPS-deficient strain also exhibited reduced expression of genes predicted to encode the fimbrial subunit FimA and a type VI secretion system (T6SS). The reduced expression of genes involved in T6SS correlated with the detection of the T6SS-effector protein, AssC, in culture supernatants of the A. baumannii wild-type strain, but not in the LPS-deficient strain. Taken together, these data show that, in response to total LPS loss, A. baumannii alters the expression of critical transport and biosynthesis systems associated with modulating the composition and structure of the bacterial surface. Comparison of a gene expression in biological duplicate samples derived from parent bacterial strain to an isogenic mutant strain.
Project description:We report the transcriptional expression from wild type, a ponA mutant, and lipooligosaccharide-deficient A. baumannii in order to understand the cellular changes after inactivation of lipid A biosynthesis. Among all strains, genes in the Localization Of Lipoprotein (Lol) transport pathway were upregulated. This study provides a framework to understand how some Acinetobacter baumannii strains can survive without lipid A and lipopolysaccharide/lipooligosaccharide.
Project description:We recently demonstrated that colistin resistance in Acinetobacter baumannii can result from mutational inactivation of genes essential for lipid A biosynthesis. Consequently, strains harboring these mutations are unable to produce the major Gram negative bacterial surface component, lipopolysaccharide (LPS). To understand how A. baumannii compensates for the lack of LPS, we compared the transcriptional profile of the A. baumannii type strain ATCC19606, to that of an isogenic, LPS-deficient, lpxA mutant strain. Analysis of the expression profiles indicated that the LPS-deficient strain showed increased expression of many genes involved in cell envelope and membrane biogenesis. In particular, up-regulated genes included those involved in the Lol lipoprotein transport system and the Mla-retrograde phospholipid transport system. In addition, genes involved in the synthesis and transport of poly-beta-1,6-N-acetylglucosamine (PNAG) were also up-regulated and a corresponding increase in PNAG production was observed. The LPS-deficient strain also exhibited reduced expression of genes predicted to encode the fimbrial subunit FimA and a type VI secretion system (T6SS). The reduced expression of genes involved in T6SS correlated with the detection of the T6SS-effector protein, AssC, in culture supernatants of the A. baumannii wild-type strain, but not in the LPS-deficient strain. Taken together, these data show that, in response to total LPS loss, A. baumannii alters the expression of critical transport and biosynthesis systems associated with modulating the composition and structure of the bacterial surface.
Project description:Objectives: Colistin remains a last-line treatment for multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii and combined use of colistin and carbapenems has shown synergistic effects against multidrug-resistant strains. In order to understand the bacterial responses to these antibiotics we analysed the transcriptome of A. baumannii following exposure to each.
Project description:In enteric bacteria, the transcription factor ?E maintains membrane homeostasis by inducing expression of proteins involved in membrane repair and of two small, regulatory RNAs (sRNAs) that downregulate synthesis of abundant membrane porins. Here, we describe the discovery of a third ?E-dependent sRNA, MicL, transcribed from a promoter located within the coding sequence of the cutC gene. MicL is synthesized as a 308 nt primary transcript that is processed to an 80 nt form. Both forms possess features typical of Hfq-binding sRNAs, but surprisingly only target a single mRNA, which encodes the outer membrane lipoprotein Lpp, the most abundant protein of the cell. We show that the copper sensitivity phenotype previously ascribed to inactivation of the cutC gene is actually derived from the loss of MicL and elevated Lpp levels. This observation raises the possibility that other phenotypes currently attributed to protein defects are due to deficiencies in unappreciated regulatory RNAs. We also report that ?E activity is sensitive to Lpp abundance and that MicL and Lpp comprise a new ?E regulatory loop that opposes membrane stress. Together MicA, RybB and MicL allow ?E to repress the expression of all abundant outer membrane proteins in response to stress. 12 samples mRNA-seq data, 2 samples ribosome profiling data. For mRNA-seq data, samples were gathered at the indicated time (in min) after induction of either vector (WT), long (MicL), and short (MicL-S) forms of MicL.
Project description:Background: Acinetobacter baumannii is one of the most dangerous multidrug-resistant pathogens worldwide. Currently, 50-70% of clinical isolates of A. baumannii are extensively drug-resistant (XDR) and available antibiotic options against A. baumannii infections are limited. There are still needs to discover specific de facto bacterial antigenic proteins that could be effective vaccine candidates in human infection. With the growth of research in recent years, several candidate molecules have been identified for vaccine development. So far, there is no public health authorities approved vaccine against A. baumannii. Methods: The purpose of this study was to identify immunodominant vaccine candidate proteins that can be immunoprecipitated specifically with patients’ IgGs. Relaying on hypothesis that IgGs of infected person have capacity to capture immunodominant bacterial proteins. Herein, outer membrane and secreted proteins of sensitive and drug resistant A. baumannii were captured by using IgGs obtained from patient and healthy control sera and were identified by LC-MS/MS analysis. Results: By using subtractive proteomic approach, we determined 34 unique proteins which were captured only in drug-resistant A. baumannii strain via patient sera. After extensive evaluation of predicted epitope regions, solubility, membrane transverse characteristics, and structural properties, we selected several notable vaccine candidates. Conclusion: We identified vaccine candidate proteins that triggered de facto response of human immune system against the antibiotic-resistant A. baumannii. Precipitation of bacterial proteins via patient immunoglobulins was a novel approach to identify the proteins which have potential to trigger to response in patient immune system.
Project description:The nosocomial pathogen Acinetobacter baumannii is a frequent cause of hospital acquired infections worldwide, and a challenge for treatment due to its evolved resistance to antibiotics, including carbapenems. To gain insight on A. baumannii antibiotic resistance mechanisms, we analyzed the protein interaction network of a multidrug-resistant A. baumannii clinical strain Ab5075. Using in vivo chemical cross-linking and mass spectrometry, we identified 2,068 non-redundant cross-linked peptide pairs containing 245 intra- and 398 inter- molecular interactions. Outer membrane proteins OmpA and YiaD, and carbapenemase Oxa-23 are hubs of the identified interaction network. Eighteen novel interactors of Oxa-23 were identified. Interactions of Oxa-23 with outer membrane porins OmpA and CarO were verified with co-immunoprecipitation analysis. Furthermore, transposon mutagenesis of oxa-23 or interactors of Oxa-23 demonstrated changes in meropenem or imipenem sensitivity in Ab5075. These results provide the first view of a porin-localized toxin inactivation model and increase understanding of bacterial antibiotic resistance mechanisms.