scholarly journals An amphipathic and cationic antimicrobial peptide kills colistin resistant Gram-negative pathogens in vivo

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas T. Thomsen ◽  
Mette Kolpen ◽  
Vinoth Wigneswaran ◽  
Ulrik Kromann ◽  
Anna Ebbensgaard ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Lipid A ◽  
Multidrug Resistant ◽  
Colistin Resistance ◽  
Cationic Antimicrobial Peptide ◽  
Gram Negative ◽  
Excellent Activity ◽  
New Antibiotics ◽  
Charge Change

New antibiotics are needed against multidrug resistant Gram-negative pathogens that have compromised global health systems. Antimicrobial peptides are generally considered promising lead candidates for the next generation of antibiotics but have not fulfilled this expectation. Here we demonstrate activity of a cationic amphipathic undecapeptide (ChIP; Charge change Independent Peptide) against a wide panel of multidrug resistant Gram-negative pathogens. Importantly, the antimicrobial activity of ChIP is independent of the surface charge changes that confer colistin resistance through modification of Lipid A, while decreased activity of ChIP correlates with GlcN1 tri-acylation of Lipid A. In an in vivo peritonitis mouse model ChIP displays excellent activity against both colistin sensitive and resistant Escherichia coli and Acinetobacter baumannii strains.

scholarly journals Heterogeneous and Flexible Transmission ofmcr-1in Hospital-AssociatedEscherichia coli

mBio ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yingbo Shen ◽  
Zuowei Wu ◽  
Yang Wang ◽  
Rong Zhang ◽  
Hong-Wei Zhou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Genomic Analysis ◽  
Multidrug Resistant ◽  
Fluoroquinolone Resistance ◽  
Gram Negative Bacteria ◽  
Colistin Resistance ◽  
Gram Negative ◽  
Content Type ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Genes Encoding

ABSTRACTThe recent emergence of a transferable colistin resistance mechanism, MCR-1, has gained global attention because of its threat to clinical treatment of infections caused by multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria. However, the possible transmission route ofmcr-1amongEnterobacteriaceaespecies in clinical settings is largely unknown. Here, we present a comprehensive genomic analysis ofEscherichia coliisolates collected in a hospital in Hangzhou, China. We found thatmcr-1-carrying isolates from clinical infections and feces of inpatients and healthy volunteers were genetically diverse and were not closely related phylogenetically, suggesting that clonal expansion is not involved in the spread ofmcr-1. Themcr-1gene was found on either chromosomes or plasmids, but in most of theE. coliisolates,mcr-1was carried on plasmids. The genetic context of the plasmids showed considerable diversity as evidenced by the different functional insertion sequence (IS) elements, toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems, heavy metal resistance determinants, and Rep proteins of broad-host-range plasmids. Additionally, the genomic analysis revealed nosocomial transmission ofmcr-1and the coexistence ofmcr-1with other genes encoding β-lactamases and fluoroquinolone resistance in theE. coliisolates. These findings indicate thatmcr-1is heterogeneously disseminated in both commensal and pathogenic strains ofE. coli, suggest the high flexibility of this gene in its association with diverse genetic backgrounds of the hosts, and provide new insights into the genome epidemiology ofmcr-1among hospital-associatedE. colistrains.IMPORTANCEColistin represents one of the very few available drugs for treating infections caused by extensively multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria. The recently emergentmcr-1colistin resistance gene threatens the clinical utility of colistin and has gained global attention. Howmcr-1spreads in hospital settings remains unknown and was investigated by whole-genome sequencing ofmcr-1-carryingEscherichia coliin this study. The findings revealed extraordinary flexibility ofmcr-1in its spread among genetically diverseE. colihosts and plasmids, nosocomial transmission ofmcr-1-carryingE. coli, and the continuous emergence of novel Inc types of plasmids carryingmcr-1and newmcr-1variants. Additionally,mcr-1was found to be frequently associated with other genes encoding β-lactams and fluoroquinolone resistance. These findings provide important information on the transmission and epidemiology ofmcr-1and are of significant public health importance as the information is expected to facilitate the control of this significant antibiotic resistance threat.

scholarly journals Polymyxin B–modified upconversion nanoparticles for selective detection of Gram-negative bacteria such as Escherichia coli

2020 ◽  
Vol 44 (11-12) ◽  
pp. 756-761
Author(s):  
Yan Qiao ◽  
Hongchao Geng ◽  
Ning Jiang ◽  
Xingqi Zhu ◽  
Chenyi Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Limit Of Detection ◽  
Polymyxin B ◽  
Upconversion Nanoparticles ◽  
Selective Detection ◽  
Gram Negative Bacteria ◽  
Cationic Antimicrobial Peptide ◽  
Gram Negative ◽  
In Vivo Fluorescence Imaging

Upconversion nanoparticles, Yb,Tm,Fe-doped NaYF4 nanoparticles, are synthesized and modified with polymyxin B for the selective detection of Gram-negative bacteria. Polymyxin B, a cyclic cationic antimicrobial peptide which can specifically bind to the lipopolysaccharides of cell wall of Gram-negative bacteria, such as Escherichia coli, is used to target and bind Gram-negative bacteria. The bacteria are then quantified by measuring the fluorescence intensity of the upconversion nanoparticle–bacteria complexes at 801 nm under 980 nm excitation. A limit of detection of 36 CFU/mL is achieved in the detection of Escherichia coli, and Escherichia coli in soybean milk is successfully detected. The limited autofluorescence and photobleaching properties of the upconversion nanoparticles make the proposed method useful for in vivo fluorescence imaging of Gram-negative bacteria.

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 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 Nonclonal Emergence of Colistin Resistance Associated with Mutations in the BasRS Two-Component System in Escherichia coli Bloodstream Isolates

mSphere ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Axel B. Janssen ◽  
Toby L. Bartholomew ◽  
Natalia P. Marciszewska ◽  
Marc J. M. Bonten ◽  
Rob J. L. Willems ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Lipid A ◽  
Gram Negative Bacteria ◽  
Colistin Resistance ◽  
Anionic Lipid ◽  
Gram Negative ◽  
Content Type ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Two Component ◽  
Resistant Strains

ABSTRACT Infections by multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria are increasingly common, prompting the renewed interest in the use of colistin. Colistin specifically targets Gram-negative bacteria by interacting with the anionic lipid A moieties of lipopolysaccharides, leading to membrane destabilization and cell death. Here, we aimed to uncover the mechanisms of colistin resistance in nine colistin-resistant Escherichia coli strains and one Escherichia albertii strain. These were the only colistin-resistant strains of 1,140 bloodstream Escherichia isolates collected in a tertiary hospital over a 10-year period (2006 to 2015). Core-genome phylogenetic analysis showed that each patient was colonized by a unique strain, suggesting that colistin resistance was acquired independently in each strain. All colistin-resistant strains had lipid A that was modified with phosphoethanolamine. In addition, two E. coli strains had hepta-acylated lipid A species, containing an additional palmitate compared to the canonical hexa-acylated E. coli lipid A. One E. coli strain carried the mobile colistin resistance (mcr) gene mcr-1.1 on an IncX4-type plasmid. Through construction of chromosomal transgene integration mutants, we experimentally determined that mutations in basRS, encoding a two-component signal transduction system, contributed to colistin resistance in four strains. We confirmed these observations by reversing the mutations in basRS to the sequences found in reference strains, resulting in loss of colistin resistance. While the mcr genes have become a widely studied mechanism of colistin resistance in E. coli, sequence variation in basRS is another, potentially more prevalent but relatively underexplored, cause of colistin resistance in this important nosocomial pathogen. IMPORTANCE Multidrug resistance among Gram-negative bacteria has led to the use of colistin as a last-resort drug. The cationic colistin kills Gram-negative bacteria through electrostatic interaction with the anionic lipid A moiety of lipopolysaccharides. Due to increased use in clinical and agricultural settings, colistin resistance has recently started to emerge. In this study, we used a combination of whole-genome sequence analysis and experimental validation to characterize the mechanisms through which Escherichia coli strains from bloodstream infections can develop colistin resistance. We found no evidence of direct transfer of colistin-resistant isolates between patients. The lipid A of all isolates was modified by the addition of phosphoethanolamine. In four isolates, colistin resistance was experimentally verified to be caused by mutations in the basRS genes, encoding a two-component regulatory system. Our data show that chromosomal mutations are an important cause of colistin resistance among clinical E. coli isolates.

scholarly journals Emerging Opportunity and Destiny of mcr-1 - and tet (X4)-Coharboring Plasmids in Escherichia coli

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaoyu Lu ◽  
Xia Xiao ◽  
Yuan Liu ◽  
Ruichao Li ◽  
Zhiqiang Wang
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Human Health ◽  
Resistance Gene ◽  
Multidrug Resistant ◽  
Gram Negative Bacteria ◽  
Colistin Resistance ◽  
Gram Negative

Tigecycline and colistin are used as last-resort therapies to treat infections caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) Gram-negative bacteria. However, the emergence of the plasmid-mediated tigecycline resistance gene tet (X4) and the plasmid-mediated colistin resistance gene mcr-1 represents a significant threat to human health.

scholarly journals Plasmid Mediated mcr-1.1 Colistin-Resistance in Clinical Extraintestinal Escherichia coli Strains Isolated in Poland

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Piotr Majewski ◽  
Anna Gutowska ◽  
David G. E. Smith ◽  
Tomasz Hauschild ◽  
Paulina Majewska ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Bacterial Pathogens ◽  
Multidrug Resistant ◽  
Modern Medicine ◽  
University Hospital ◽  
Great Effort ◽  
Colistin Resistance ◽  
Livestock Farming ◽  
Gram Negative ◽  
E Coli

Objectives: The growing incidence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria is an inexorable and fatal challenge in modern medicine. Colistin is a cationic polypeptide considered a “last-resort” antimicrobial for treating infections caused by MDR Gram-negative bacterial pathogens. Plasmid-borne mcr colistin resistance emerged recently, and could potentially lead to essentially untreatable infections, particularly in hospital and veterinary (livestock farming) settings. In this study, we sought to establish the molecular basis of colistin-resistance in six extraintestinal Escherichia coli strains.Methods: Molecular investigation of colistin-resistance was performed in six extraintestinal E. coli strains isolated from patients hospitalized in Medical University Hospital, Bialystok, Poland. Complete structures of bacterial chromosomes and plasmids were recovered with use of both short- and long-read sequencing technologies and Unicycler hybrid assembly. Moreover, an electrotransformation assay was performed in order to confirm IncX4 plasmid influence on colistin-resistance phenotype in clinical E. coli strains.Results: Here we report on the emergence of six mcr-1.1-producing extraintestinal E. coli isolates with a number of virulence factors. Mobile pEtN transferase-encoding gene, mcr-1.1, has been proved to be encoded within a type IV secretion system (T4SS)-containing 33.3 kbp IncX4 plasmid pMUB-MCR, next to the PAP2-like membrane-associated lipid phosphatase gene.Conclusion: IncX4 mcr-containing plasmids are reported as increasingly disseminated among E. coli isolates, making it an “epidemic” plasmid, responsible for (i) dissemination of colistin-resistance determinants between different E. coli clones, and (ii) circulation between environmental, industrial, and clinical settings. Great effort needs to be taken to avoid further dissemination of plasmid-mediated colistin resistance among clinically relevant Gram-negative bacterial pathogens.

scholarly journals First Report of the mcr-1 colistin Resistance Gene Identified in Escherichia coli Isolated from a Clinical Sample in Naples in 2020

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
BIAGIO SANTELLA ◽  
CARLA ZANNELLA ◽  
CHIARA DEL VECCHIO ◽  
ANNALISA CHIANESE ◽  
VERONICA FOLLIERO ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Resistance Gene ◽  
Clinical Sample ◽  
Resistance Mechanism ◽  
Multidrug Resistant ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Colistin Resistance ◽  
Gram Negative ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Carbapenem Resistant

Abstract Background: The emergence of a novel plasmid-mediated colistin resistance mechanism, encoded by the mcr-1 gene, represents a major public health concern. The mechanism of resistance to colistin, mediated by plasmids, is a serious problem, both for its ability to be transferred to other species, and for infections caused by carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative, in which colistin is used as an antimicrobial drug of last line for the treatment of these infections. The present study highlights the first isolation and genetic evaluation of detecting plasmid-mediated resistance to colistin in a multidrug-resistant (MDR) Escherichia coli (E. coli) isolated from a clinical sample in the metropolitan city of Naples, Italy. Results: Colistin-resistant E. coli isolate was identified in August 2020 from the blood culture of a male patient with multiple comorbidities. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of colistin was 8 mg/L. In addition to colistin, the isolate was resistant to third-generation cephalosporins (cefotaxime and ceftazidime), penicillin (amoxicillin and piperacillin), aminoglycosides (gentamicin and tobramycin), and fluoroquinolones (ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin). However, it showed susceptibility to carbapenems (ertapenem, imipenem, and meropenem), tetracyclines (tigecycline), and piperacillin-tazobactam. The results of the PCR confirmed the presence of the mcr-1 resistance gene. Conclusion: This study confirms the presence of resistance to colistin mediated by the mcr-1 gene in a clinical isolate of E. coli. Although resistance to colistin caused by the mcr-1 gene is not common in our region, it should not be ignored. Therefore, further surveillance studies are recommended to monitor the spread of plasmid-mediated colistin resistance genes in Gram-negative MDR bacteria.

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 Mobilization of a Kluyvera-like arnBCADTEF operon, besides mcr genes, confers colistin resistance to Escherichia coli isolated from healthy animals

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alejandro Gallardo ◽  
María-Rocío Iglesias ◽  
María Ugarte-Ruiz ◽  
Marta Hernández ◽  
Pedro Miguela-Villoldo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Lipid A ◽  
Resistance Mechanism ◽  
Enzymatic System ◽  
Colistin Resistance ◽  
Gram Negative ◽  
Resistance Determinants ◽  
Plasmid Mobilization ◽  
Kluyvera Ascorbata ◽  
Chromosomal Mutations

AbstractThe use of colistin as a last resort antimicrobial is compromised by the emergence of resistant enterobacteria with acquired determinants like mcr genes, mutations that activate the PmrAB two-component system and also by some other(s) still unknown mechanism(s). This work analyzed 74 E. coli isolates from healthy swine, turkey or bovine animals, characterizing their colistin resistance determinants. The mcr-1 gene, detected in 69 isolates, was the main determinant found among which 45% were carried by highly mobile plasmids, followed by four strains lacking previously known resistance determinants or two with mcr-4 (one in addition to mcr-1), whose phenotypes were not transferred by conjugation. Although a fraction of isolates carrying mcr-1 or mcr-4 genes also presented missense polymorphisms in pmrA or pmrB, constitutive activation of PmrAB was not detected, in contrast to control strains carrying mutations that confer colistin resistance. The expression of mcr genes negatively controls arnBCADTEF expression, a down-regulation that was also observed in the four isolates lacking known resistance determinants, three of them sharing the same macrorestriction and plasmid profiles. Genomic sequencing of one of these strains, isolated from a bovine in 2015, revealed a IncFII plasmid of 60 Kb encoding an arnBCADTEF operon closely related to Kluyvera ascorbata homologs. This element, named pArnT1, was cured by ethidum bromide and lost in parallel to colistin resistance. This work reveals that, besides mcr genes and chromosomal mutations, mobilization of arnBCADTEF operon represents a colistin resistance mechanism whose spread and relevance for public health should be carefully surveyed.Abstract ImportanceColistin is an old antibiotic that has returned to first-line fighting against (Gram negative) microorganisms after pandemic rising of antimicrobial resistance. However, low susceptibility to colistin is also becoming spread, mainly by plasmid mobilization of one of the enzymes (encoded by mcr genes) that modify covalently the external layer (the lipid A component of the lipopolysaccharide) of bacterial envelope, interfering antibiotic effectiveness. The second enzymatic system that performs envelope modification and confers colistin resistance when overexpressed is encoded by arnBCADTEF operon, a set of seven genes with location restricted (up to now) to the chromosome of Gram negative bacteria. This work describes plasmid mobilization of this operon between enterobacteria, from Kluyvera to Escherichia coli, where a Kluyvera-like arnBCADTEF operon carried by pArnT1 might represent, besides mcr genes, a potential risk for antimicrobial therapy and might require careful surveillance.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document