Project description:In past, resistance mechanisms have been identified by analysis of resistant isolates or defined mutants. Recently, high-throughput transposon mutagenesis coupled with sequencing (TraDIS-Xpress) is another approach proving useful for elucidating the roles of genes involved in the overall cellular response to a particular stress. In this study, we used TraDIS-Xpress to determine the role played by genes following exposure to colistin stress. Approximately 10^7 cells from the mutant library were inoculated into LB broth at a range of doubling concentrations of colistin ( 0.25 x MIC, 0.5 x MIC, 1 x MIC, 2 X MIC). Experiments were performed with no induction, or with induction using 0.2 or 1 mM of Isopropyl β-D-1-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG). All experiments were performed in duplicate.
Project description:Here we report the results of a study comparing the global transcriptional responses of Escherichia coli to two well-studied CAMPs, LL37 and colistin, and two ceragenins with related structures, CSA13 and CSA131. We found that E. coli responds similarly to both CAMPs and ceragenins by inducing a Cpx envelope stress response. However, whereas E. coli exposed to CAMPs increased expression of genes involved in colanic acid biosynthesis, bacteria exposed to ceragenins specifically modulated functions related to phosphate transport, indicating distinct mechanisms of action between these two classes of molecules. Overall, this study suggests that while some bacterial responses to ceragenins overlap with those induced by naturally-occurring CAMPs, these synthetic molecules target the bacterial envelope using a distinctive mode of action.
Project description:<p>Mobile colistin resistance (mcr) genes undermine the efficacy of last-line polymyxin antibiotics, and the global prevalence of mcr-3 continues to rise despite reduced colistin use. Here, we show that mcr-3-positive Escherichia coli (E. coli) confers a survival advantage by reprogramming macrophage immunity. MCR-3-mediated lipid A modification blunted TLR4-NF-kappaB signaling, suppressed macrophage reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, and delayed phagosome-lysosome fusion, allowing mcr-3-positive strains to evade intracellular killing. Integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses revealed extensive immunometabolic rewiring in infected macrophages, including altered glycerophospholipid metabolism and iron homeostasis. Consistently, mcr-3 enhanced bacterial tolerance to ferrous iron stress, likely mitigating host-induced ferroptotic damage. In a mouse co-infection model, mcr-3-positive strains outcompeted isogenic mcr-3-negative strains under antibiotic treatment without any difference in antibiotic susceptibility in vitro. These findings reveal a dual-action mechanism that mcr-3 endows E. coli with both antibiotic resistance and host immune suppression, enabling persistence under antibiotic pressure and highlighting the long-term threat of mcr-3 dissemination even in the absence of polymyxin use.</p>
Project description:Escherichia coli is an important opportunistic pathogen associated with multidrug-resistant infections in humans and animals. In this study, we performed a global proteomic analysis of the isolateEC15 to characterize its whole-cell protein expression profile. Bacterial cells were cultured under standard laboratory conditions, and total proteins were extracted, digested with trypsin, and analyzed by high-resolution LC–MS/MS. The resulting dataset provides a comprehensive catalog of proteins expressed by Escherichia coli EC15 and a resource for further studies on antimicrobial resistance and virulence mechanisms in this strain.
Project description:Extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) is a common bacterial strain causing diverse diseases in humans and animals. To analyse the detailed mechanisms underlying ExPEC-mediated sepsis in humans, the transcriptome response of mice at 3h,6h, and 12h after ExPEC infection was analyzed by RNA-seq of mouse spleen samples.
Project description:Detection and characterization of colistin and carbapenem resistant Escherichia coli from dairy cattle, poultry and the farm environments
Project description:The purpose of this study is to determine whether the presence of pathogenic Escherichia coli in colon is associated with psychiatric disorders.
