scholarly journals In vitro evolution of colistin resistance in the Klebsiella pneumoniae complex follows multiple evolutionary trajectories with variable effects on fitness and virulence characteristics

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Axel B. Janssen ◽  
Dennis J. Doorduijn ◽  
Grant Mills ◽  
Malbert R.C. Rogers ◽  
Marc J.M. Bonten ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Klebsiella Pneumoniae ◽  
Lipid A ◽  
Multidrug Resistant ◽  
Sensu Stricto ◽  
Cross Resistance ◽  
Gram Negative Bacteria ◽  
Colistin Resistance ◽  
Gram Negative ◽  
Evolutionary Trajectories

AbstractThe increasing prevalence of multidrug-resistant Gram-negative opportunistic pathogens, including Klebsiella pneumoniae, has led to a resurgence in the use of colistin as a last-resort drug. Colistin is a cationic lipopeptide antibiotic that selectively acts on Gram-negative bacteria through electrostatic interactions with anionic phosphate groups of the lipid A moiety of lipopolysaccharides (LPS). Colistin resistance in K. pneumoniae is mediated through loss of these phosphate groups, or modification with cationic groups (e.g. 4-amino-4-deoxy-L-arabinose (L-Ara4N), or phosphoethanolamine), but also hydroxylation of acyl-groups of lipid A. Here, we study the in vitro evolutionary trajectories towards colistin resistance in clinical K. pneumoniae complex strains (three K. pneumoniae sensu stricto strains and one K. variicola subsp. variicola strain) and their impact on fitness and virulence characteristics.Through population sequencing during the in vitro evolution experiment, we found that resistance develops through a combination of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), insertion and deletions (indels), and the integration of insertion sequence (IS) elements, affecting genes associated with LPS biosynthesis and modification, and capsule structures. The development of colistin resistance decreased the maximum growth rate of one K. pneumoniae sensu stricto strain, but not in the other three K. pneumoniae sensu lato strains. Colistin-resistant strains had lipid A modified through hydroxylation, palmitoylation, and L-Ara4N addition. Colistin-resistant K. pneumoniae sensu stricto strains exhibited cross-resistance to LL-37, in contrast to the K. variicola subsp. variicola strain that did not change in susceptibility to LL-37. Virulence, as determined in a Caenorhabditis elegans survival assay, was higher in two colistin-resistant strains.Our study suggests that nosocomial K. pneumoniae complex strains can rapidly develop colistin resistance de novo through diverse evolutionary trajectories upon exposure to colistin. This effectively shortens the lifespan of this last-resort antibiotic for the treatment of infections with multidrug-resistant Klebsiella.Author summaryBacteria that frequently cause infections in hospitalised patients are becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics. Colistin is a positively charged antibiotic that is used for the treatment of infections with multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria. Colistin acts by specifically interacting with the negatively charged LPS molecule in the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria. Colistin resistance is mostly mediated through modification of LPS to reduce its negative charge. Here, we use a laboratory evolution experiment to show that strains belonging to the Klebsiella pneumoniae complex, a common cause of multidrug-resistant hospital-acquired infections, can rapidly accumulate mutations that reduce the negative charge of LPS without an appreciable loss of fitness. Colistin resistance can lead to cross-resistance to an antimicrobial peptide of the human innate immune system, but can increase susceptibility to serum, and virulence in a nematode model. These findings show that extensively resistant K. pneumoniae complex strains may rapidly develop resistance to the last-resort antibiotic colistin via different evolutionary trajectories, while retaining their ability to cause infections.

scholarly journals Evolution of Colistin Resistance in the Klebsiella pneumoniae Complex Follows Multiple Evolutionary Trajectories with Variable Effects on Fitness and Virulence Characteristics

2020 ◽  
Vol 65 (1) ◽  
pp. e01958-20
Author(s):  
Axel B. Janssen ◽  
Dennis J. Doorduijn ◽  
Grant Mills ◽  
Malbert R. C. Rogers ◽  
Marc J. M. Bonten ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Klebsiella Pneumoniae ◽  
Lipid A ◽  
Multidrug Resistant ◽  
Sensu Stricto ◽  
Colistin Resistance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Evolutionary Trajectories ◽  
Resistant Strains ◽  
Phosphate Groups

ABSTRACTThe increasing prevalence of multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae has led to a resurgence in the use of colistin as a last-resort drug. Colistin is a cationic antibiotic that selectively acts on Gram-negative bacteria through electrostatic interactions with anionic phosphate groups of the lipid A moiety of lipopolysaccharides (LPSs). Colistin resistance in K. pneumoniae is mediated through loss of these phosphate groups, their modification by cationic groups, and by the hydroxylation of acyl groups of lipid A. Here, we study the in vitro evolutionary trajectories toward colistin resistance in four clinical K. pneumoniae complex strains and their impact on fitness and virulence characteristics. Through population sequencing during in vitro evolution, we found that colistin resistance develops through a combination of single nucleotide polymorphisms, insertions and deletions, and the integration of insertion sequence elements, affecting genes associated with LPS biosynthesis and modification and capsule structures. Colistin resistance decreased the maximum growth rate of one K. pneumoniaesensu stricto strain, but not those of the other three K. pneumoniae complex strains. Colistin-resistant strains had lipid A modified through hydroxylation, palmitoylation, and l-Ara4N addition. K. pneumoniaesensu stricto strains exhibited cross-resistance to LL-37, in contrast to the Klebsiella variicola subsp. variicola strain. Virulence, as determined in a Caenorhabditis elegans survival assay, was increased in two colistin-resistant strains. Our study suggests that nosocomial K. pneumoniae complex strains can rapidly develop colistin resistance through diverse evolutionary trajectories upon exposure to colistin. This effectively shortens the life span of this last-resort antibiotic for the treatment of infections with multidrug-resistant Klebsiella.

scholarly journals A Molecular Perspective on Colistin and Klebsiella pneumoniae: Mode of Action, Resistance Genetics, and Phenotypic Susceptibility

Diagnostics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 1165
Author(s):  
Rita Elias ◽  
Aida Duarte ◽  
João Perdigão
Keyword(s):  
Klebsiella Pneumoniae ◽  
Mode Of Action ◽  
Lipid A ◽  
Drug Susceptibility ◽  
Multidrug Resistant ◽  
Resistance Mechanisms ◽  
Drug Susceptibility Testing ◽  
Gram Negative Bacteria ◽  
Colistin Resistance ◽  
Gram Negative

Klebsiella pneumoniae is a rod-shaped, encapsulated, Gram-negative bacteria associated with multiple nosocomial infections. Multidrug-resistant (MDR) K. pneumoniae strains have been increasing and the therapeutic options are increasingly limited. Colistin is a long-used, polycationic, heptapeptide that has regained attention due to its activity against Gram-negative bacteria, including the MDR K. pneumoniae strains. However, this antibiotic has a complex mode of action that is still under research along with numerous side-effects. The acquisition of colistin resistance is mainly associated with alteration of lipid A net charge through the addition of cationic groups synthesized by the gene products of a multi-genic regulatory network. Besides mutations in these chromosomal genes, colistin resistance can also be achieved through the acquisition of plasmid-encoded genes. Nevertheless, the diversity of molecular markers for colistin resistance along with some adverse colistin properties compromises the reliability of colistin-resistance monitorization methods. The present review is focused on the colistin action and molecular resistance mechanisms, along with specific limitations on drug susceptibility testing for K. pneumoniae.

scholarly journals Curative Treatment of Severe Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections by a New Class of Antibiotics Targeting LpxC

mBio ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nadine Lemaître ◽  
Xiaofei Liang ◽  
Javaria Najeeb ◽  
Chul-Jin Lee ◽  
Marie Titecat ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bacterial Infections ◽  
Biosynthetic Pathway ◽  
Lipid A ◽  
Multidrug Resistant ◽  
Gram Negative Bacteria ◽  
Drug Resistant ◽  
Bubonic Plague ◽  
Gram Negative ◽  
New Class

ABSTRACT The infectious diseases caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria pose serious threats to humankind. It has been suggested that an antibiotic targeting LpxC of the lipid A biosynthetic pathway in Gram-negative bacteria is a promising strategy for curing Gram-negative bacterial infections. However, experimental proof of this concept is lacking. Here, we describe our discovery and characterization of a biphenylacetylene-based inhibitor of LpxC, an essential enzyme in the biosynthesis of the lipid A component of the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria. The compound LPC-069 has no known adverse effects in mice and is effective in vitro against a broad panel of Gram-negative clinical isolates, including several multiresistant and extremely drug-resistant strains involved in nosocomial infections. Furthermore, LPC-069 is curative in a murine model of one of the most severe human diseases, bubonic plague, which is caused by the Gram-negative bacterium Yersinia pestis. Our results demonstrate the safety and efficacy of LpxC inhibitors as a new class of antibiotic against fatal infections caused by extremely virulent pathogens. The present findings also highlight the potential of LpxC inhibitors for clinical development as therapeutics for infections caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria. IMPORTANCE The rapid spread of antimicrobial resistance among Gram-negative bacilli highlights the urgent need for new antibiotics. Here, we describe a new class of antibiotics lacking cross-resistance with conventional antibiotics. The compounds inhibit LpxC, a key enzyme in the lipid A biosynthetic pathway in Gram-negative bacteria, and are active in vitro against a broad panel of clinical isolates of Gram-negative bacilli involved in nosocomial and community infections. The present study also constitutes the first demonstration of the curative treatment of bubonic plague by a novel, broad-spectrum antibiotic targeting LpxC. Hence, the data highlight the therapeutic potential of LpxC inhibitors against a wide variety of Gram-negative bacterial infections, including the most severe ones caused by Y. pestis and by multidrug-resistant and extensively drug-resistant carbapenemase-producing strains. IMPORTANCE The rapid spread of antimicrobial resistance among Gram-negative bacilli highlights the urgent need for new antibiotics. Here, we describe a new class of antibiotics lacking cross-resistance with conventional antibiotics. The compounds inhibit LpxC, a key enzyme in the lipid A biosynthetic pathway in Gram-negative bacteria, and are active in vitro against a broad panel of clinical isolates of Gram-negative bacilli involved in nosocomial and community infections. The present study also constitutes the first demonstration of the curative treatment of bubonic plague by a novel, broad-spectrum antibiotic targeting LpxC. Hence, the data highlight the therapeutic potential of LpxC inhibitors against a wide variety of Gram-negative bacterial infections, including the most severe ones caused by Y. pestis and by multidrug-resistant and extensively drug-resistant carbapenemase-producing strains.

scholarly journals Combining Colistin with Furanone C-30 Rescues Colistin Resistance of Gram-Negative Bacteria in Vitro and in Vivo

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ying Zhang ◽  
Yishuai Lin ◽  
Xiaodong Zhang ◽  
Liqiong Chen ◽  
Chunyan Xu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multidrug Resistant ◽  
Clinical Isolates ◽  
Gram Negative Bacteria ◽  
Colistin Resistance ◽  
Gram Negative ◽  
C 30

Colistin is among the few antibiotics effective against multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (GNB) clinical isolates. However, colistin-resistant GNB strains have emerged in recent years.

scholarly journals Susceptibility of Colistin-Resistant, Gram-Negative Bacteria to Antimicrobial Peptides and Ceragenins

2017 ◽  
Vol 61 (8) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marjan M. Hashemi ◽  
John Rovig ◽  
Scott Weber ◽  
Brian Hilton ◽  
Mehdi M. Forouzan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Klebsiella Pneumoniae ◽  
Antimicrobial Peptides ◽  
Lipid A ◽  
Resistance Mechanisms ◽  
Clinical Isolates ◽  
Cross Resistance ◽  
Gram Negative Bacteria ◽  
Gram Negative ◽  
Content Type

ABSTRACT The susceptibility of colistin-resistant clinical isolates of Klebsiella pneumoniae to ceragenins and antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) suggests that there is little to no cross-resistance between colistin and ceragenins/AMPs and that lipid A modifications are found in bacteria with modest changes in susceptibility to ceragenins and with high levels of resistance to colistin. These results suggest that there are differences in the resistance mechanisms to colistin and ceragenins/AMPs.

Tolerance to glyphosate and antibiotic resistance in gram-negative bacteria isolated from soils of different agricultural management systems in Ceará, Brazil

Gaia Scientia ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Raul Vítor Ferreira de Oliveira ◽  
Margareth Borges Coutinho Gallo ◽  
Oscarina Viana de Sousa ◽  
Álef Vasconcelos Ribeiro ◽  
Tatiana Salata Lima ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stenotrophomonas Maltophilia ◽  
Selective Pressure ◽  
Multidrug Resistant ◽  
Agricultural Management ◽  
Management Systems ◽  
Cross Resistance ◽  
Gram Negative Bacteria ◽  
Conventional Farming ◽  
Gram Negative ◽  
Opportunistic Bacteria

Brazil is among the world’s largest consumers of pesticides, with glyphosate (GLY) being the most commercialized herbicide in the country. Studies showed microorganisms suffer selective pressure when exposed to pesticides, developing tolerance to pesticides and resistance to antibiotics (ABs), in a phenomenon known as “cross-resistance”. The present work aimed to evaluate the occurrence of glyphosate-tolerance and AB-resistance in bacteria isolated from different agricultural management systems in Ceará State, Brazil. Gram-negative bacteria isolated from agroforestry (S1), conventional farming (S2) and uncultivated (S3) soils were cultured in the presence of 1.6% acid glyphosate. Overall, 58 strains were isolated. Soils S1 and S2 presented several multidrug resistant (MDR) strains, the majority resistant to ampicilin. Although there was a small percentage of strains resistant to ertapenem (33%, soil S1), the fact they were found is concerning, as Carbapenem antibiotics are used to treat clinical cases of MDR bacteria, which are not common outside hospital settings. Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (soil S2), resistant to six of the eight ABs tested, was identified by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, and was found as one of the most common opportunistic bacteria in ICUs of Ceará hospitals.

scholarly journals Formation in vitro of colistin resistance in carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative bacteria and its biological cost

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. V. Tapalski ◽  
T. A. Petrovskaya ◽  
A. E. Kozlov
Keyword(s):  
Broth Culture ◽  
Exponential Growth Phase ◽  
Lag Phase ◽  
Gram Negative Bacteria ◽  
Colistin Resistance ◽  
Gram Negative ◽  
Broth Microdilution Method ◽  
Resistant Mutants ◽  
Biological Cost

Introduction. The spread of resistance to carbapenems among gram-negative bacteria have led to an increase in the consumption of polymyxins and the emergence of certain strains resistant to them. Polymyxin resistance is mainly associated with mutations in chromosomal genes. The development of mutational resistance to antibiotics can lead to a decrease in the viability of bacteria, which is manifested by an increase in the duration of the cell cycle, a decrease in virulence and competitive fitness. The purpose of the study was to assess in vitro the intensity of the formation of colistin resistance in carbapenemresistant clinical isolates of gram-negative bacteria, the stability of the formed emerged resistance and its biological cost.Materials and methods. For 46 strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae, 77 strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and 42 strains of Acinetobacter baumannii, real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to detect the genes of carbapenemases, the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of meropenem and colistin were determined by broth microdilution method. The selection of resistant subpopulations on Muller–Hinton agar with the addition of 16 mg/l colistin was carried out. For colistin-resistant mutants and their isogenic sensitive strains, the kinetic parameters of growth in broth culture were determined. Incubation and result recording were performed on an Infinite M200 microplate reader for 18.5 hours at 35°C with measurement of light scatter in the wells every 15 minutes.Results. The production of carbapenemases MBL VIM in P. aeruginosa, MBL NDM, KPC and OXA-48 in K. pneumoniae, OXA-23 and OXA-40 in A. baumannii was observed. All strains were sensitive to colistin (MIC varied from 0.062 to 2 mg/l). The colony growth on a selective medium with16 mg/l colistin was observed for 97.8% of K. pneumoniae strains, 16.9% of P. aeruginosa strains, and 61.9% of A. baumannii strains. The mutational nature of colistin resistance was confirmed for 21.7% of K. pneumoniae strains. For colistin-resistant mutants of K. pneumoniae, a significant increase in the duration of the lag phase (Tlag) was observed: 225.6 ± 7.037 min in the wild-type susceptible strains and 245.5 ± 8.726 in resistant mutants, p = 0.037. The indicators of the doubling time of the number of microbial cells in the exponential growth phase (Tdoubling) and the area under the bacterial growth curve did not differ significantly.Conclusion. A high frequency of formation of colistin resistance in vitro in carbapenemase-producing strains of K. pneumoniae was observed. The absence of significant changes in the kinetics of microbial growth in resistant strains makes it possible to predict the further spread of mutational resistance to colistin, as well as its preservation in microbial populations of K. pneumoniae even in the case of limiting the use of this antibiotic. 

scholarly journals “Clicking” an Ionic Liquid to a Potent Antimicrobial Peptide: On the Route towards Improved Stability

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (17) ◽  
pp. 6174
Author(s):  
Ana Gomes ◽  
Lucinda J. Bessa ◽  
Patrícia Correia ◽  
Iva Fernandes ◽  
Ricardo Ferraz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ionic Liquid ◽  
Ionic Liquids ◽  
Klebsiella Pneumoniae ◽  
Antimicrobial Peptide ◽  
Clinical Isolate ◽  
Bioactive Peptides ◽  
Multidrug Resistant ◽  
Gram Negative Bacteria ◽  
Gram Negative ◽  
Improved Stability

A covalent conjugate between an antibacterial ionic liquid and an antimicrobial peptide was produced via “click” chemistry, and found to retain the parent peptide’s activity against multidrug-resistant clinical isolates of Gram-negative bacteria, and antibiofilm action on a resistant clinical isolate of Klebsiella pneumoniae, while exhibiting much improved stability towards tyrosinase-mediated modifications. This unprecedented communication is a prelude for the promise held by ionic liquids -based approaches as tools to improve the action of bioactive peptides.

scholarly journals Case Commentary: the Need for Cefiderocol Is Clear, but Are the Supporting Clinical Data?

2020 ◽  
Vol 64 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryan K. Shields
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Trials ◽  
Clinical Practice ◽  
Salvage Therapy ◽  
Randomized Clinical Trials ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Multidrug Resistant ◽  
Gram Negative Bacteria ◽  
Potential Utility ◽  
Gram Negative

ABSTRACT Cefiderocol is a newly approved siderophore cephalosporin that demonstrates expanded in vitro activity against multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria. In two challenging cases reported here, cefiderocol shows potential utility as salvage therapy against difficult-to-treat pathogens with limited or no treatment options; however, two multicenter, randomized clinical trials have yielded mixed results among cefiderocol-treated patients. Taken together, clinicians must balance a clear need for cefiderocol in clinical practice with the uncertainties that have stemmed from the available data.

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