Faculty Opinions recommendation of A penicillin-binding protein inhibits selection of colistin-resistant, lipooligosaccharide-deficient Acinetobacter baumannii.

Author(s):  
Indranil Biswas
mBio ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Katie N. Kang ◽  
Misha I. Kazi ◽  
Jacob Biboy ◽  
Joe Gray ◽  
Hannah Bovermann ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Despite dogma suggesting that lipopolysaccharide/lipooligosaccharide (LOS) was essential for viability of Gram-negative bacteria, several Acinetobacter baumannii clinical isolates produced LOS− colonies after colistin selection. Inactivation of the conserved class A penicillin-binding protein, PBP1A, was a compensatory mutation that supported isolation of LOS− A. baumannii, but the impact of PBP1A mutation was not characterized. Here, we show that the absence of PBP1A causes septation defects and that these, together with ld-transpeptidase activity, support isolation of LOS− A. baumannii. PBP1A contributes to proper cell division in A. baumannii, and its absence induced cell chaining. Only isolates producing three or more septa supported selection of colistin-resistant LOS− A. baumannii. PBP1A was enriched at the midcell, where the divisome complex facilitates daughter cell formation, and its localization was dependent on glycosyltransferase activity. Transposon mutagenesis showed that genes encoding two putative ld-transpeptidases (LdtJ and LdtK) became essential in the PBP1A mutant. Both LdtJ and LdtK were required for selection of LOS− A. baumannii, but each had distinct enzymatic activities in the cell. Together, these findings demonstrate that defects in PBP1A glycosyltransferase activity and ld-transpeptidase activity remodel the cell envelope to support selection of colistin-resistant LOS− A. baumannii. IMPORTANCE The increasing prevalence of antibiotic treatment failure associated with Gram-negative bacterial infections highlights an urgent need to develop new alternative therapeutic strategies. The last-line antimicrobial colistin (polymyxin E) targets the ubiquitous outer membrane lipopolysaccharide (LPS)/LOS membrane anchor, lipid A, which is essential for viability of most diderms. However, several LOS− Acinetobacter baumannii clinical isolates were recovered after colistin selection, suggesting a conserved resistance mechanism. Here, we characterized a role for penicillin-binding protein 1A in A. baumannii septation and intrinsic β-lactam susceptibility. We also showed that defects in PBP1A glycosyltransferase activity and ld-transpeptidase activity support isolation of colistin-resistant LOS− A. baumannii.


2016 ◽  
Vol 113 (41) ◽  
pp. E6228-E6237 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph M. Boll ◽  
Alexander A. Crofts ◽  
Katharina Peters ◽  
Vincent Cattoir ◽  
Waldemar Vollmer ◽  
...  

The Gram-negative bacterial outer membrane fortifies the cell against environmental toxins including antibiotics. Unique glycolipids called lipopolysaccharide/lipooligosaccharide (LPS/LOS) are enriched in the cell-surface monolayer of the outer membrane and promote antimicrobial resistance. Colistin, which targets the lipid A domain of LPS/LOS to lyse the cell, is the last-line treatment for multidrug-resistant Gram-negative infections. Lipid A is essential for the survival of most Gram-negative bacteria, but colistin-resistantAcinetobacter baumanniilacking lipid A were isolated after colistin exposure. Previously, strain ATCC 19606 was the onlyA. baumanniistrain demonstrated to subsist without lipid A. Here, we show that otherA. baumanniistrains can also survive without lipid A, but some cannot, affording a unique model to study endotoxin essentiality. We assessed the capacity of 15 clinicalA. baumanniiisolates including 9 recent clinical isolates to develop colistin resistance through inactivation of the lipid A biosynthetic pathway, the products of which assemble the LOS precursor. Our investigation determined that expression of the well-conserved penicillin-binding protein (PBP) 1A, prevented LOS-deficient colony isolation. The glycosyltransferase activity of PBP1A, which aids in the polymerization of the peptidoglycan cell wall, was lethal to LOS-deficientA. baumannii. Global transcriptomic analysis of a PBP1A-deficient mutant and four LOS-deficientA. baumanniistrains showed a concomitant increase in transcription of lipoproteins and their transporters. Examination of the LOS-deficientA. baumanniicell surface demonstrated that specific lipoproteins were overexpressed and decorated the cell surface, potentially compensating for LOS removal. This work expands our knowledge of lipid A essentiality and elucidates a drug resistance mechanism.


2020 ◽  
Vol 64 (11) ◽  
Author(s):  
Saquib Malik ◽  
Monica Kaminski ◽  
David Landman ◽  
John Quale

ABSTRACT Cefiderocol is a siderophore cephalosporin active against many multidrug-resistant (MDR) Gram-negative pathogens. We examined the resistance mechanisms in 12 Acinetobacter baumannii strains with cefiderocol MICs ranging from ≤0.03 to >32 μg/ml. Cefiderocol resistance could not be explained by β-lactamase activity. Cefiderocol resistance was associated with reduced expression of the siderophore receptor gene pirA. Mutations involving PBP3 may have contributed to resistance in one strain. Additional studies are needed to assess the role of other siderophore receptors.


Antibiotics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 630
Author(s):  
Diaa Alrahmany ◽  
Ahmed F. Omar ◽  
Gehan Harb ◽  
Wasim S. El El Nekidy ◽  
Islam M. Ghazi

Background Acinetobacter baumannii (AB), an opportunistic pathogen, could develop into serious infections with high mortality and financial burden. The debate surrounding the selection of effective antibiotic treatment necessitates studies to define the optimal approach. This study aims to compare the clinical outcomes of commonly used treatment regimens in hospitalized patients


Author(s):  
Kenichi Matsuda ◽  
Kei Fujita ◽  
Toshiyuki Wakimoto

Abstract Penicillin binding protein-type thioesterases (PBP-type TEs) are a recently identified group of peptide cyclases that catalyze head-to-tail macrolactamization of non-ribosomal peptides. PenA, a new member of this group, is involved in the biosyntheses of cyclic pentapeptides. In this study, we demonstrated the enzymatic activity of PenA in vitro, and analyzed its substrate scope with a series of synthetic substrates. A comparison of the reaction profiles between PenA and SurE, a representative PBP-type TE, showed that PenA is more specialized for small peptide cyclization. A computational model provided a possible structural rationale for the altered specificity for substrate chain lengths.


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