antibiotic resistance
Editor's Pick Research Article | Therapeutics and PreventionBacterial Genome-Wide Association Identifies Novel Factors That Contribute to Ethionamide and Prothionamide Susceptibility in Mycobacterium tuberculosisPhenotypic antibiotic susceptibility testing in Mycobacterium tuberculosis is slow and cumbersome. Rapid molecular diagnostics promise to help guide therapy, but such assays rely on complete knowledge of the molecular determinants of altered antibiotic susceptibility. Recent genomic studies of antibiotic-resistant M. tuberculosis have identified several...
Research Article | Therapeutics and PreventionAntibacterial Properties and Efficacy of a Novel SPLUNC1-Derived Antimicrobial Peptide, α4-Short, in a Murine Model of Respiratory InfectionThe rise of superbugs underscores the urgent need for novel antimicrobial agents. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have the ability to kill superbugs regardless of resistance to traditional antibiotics. However, AMPs often display a lack of efficacy in vivo. Sequence optimization and engineering are promising but may result in increased host toxicity. We report here the optimization of a novel AMP (α4-short) derived from the...
Commentary | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyTwo Health or Not Two Health? That Is the QuestionHow much drug-resistant infections in livestock contribute to disease in humans is controversial. While zoonoses are a prominent cause of emerging infections, and the profligate use of antibiotics as growth promoters is expected to lead to the spread of resistance, this resistance could remain concentrated in animal pathogens and only rarely spill over into humans.
Letter to the Editor | Applied and Environmental ScienceAcquired Antibiotic Resistance in Escherichia coli Exposed to Simulated Microgravity: Possible Role of Other Space Stressors and Adaptive Responses
Author Reply | Applied and Environmental ScienceReply to Mortazavi, “Acquired Antibiotic Resistance in Escherichia coli Exposed to Simulated Microgravity: Possible Role of Other Space Stressors and Adaptive Responses”
Research Article | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyRapid Replacement of Acinetobacter baumannii Strains Accompanied by Changes in Lipooligosaccharide Loci and Resistance Gene RepertoireMultidrug-resistant (MDR) A. baumannii is a difficult-to-treat health care-associated pathogen. Knowing the resistance genes present in isolates causing infection aids in empirical treatment selection. Furthermore, knowledge of the genetic background can assist in tracking patterns of transmission to limit the spread of infections in hospitals. The appearance of a new...
Research Article | Ecological and Evolutionary ScienceChanges in Intrinsic Antibiotic Susceptibility during a Long-Term Evolution Experiment with Escherichia coliResistance to antibiotics often evolves when bacteria encounter antibiotics. However, bacterial strains and species without any known exposure to these drugs also vary in their intrinsic susceptibility. In many cases, evolved resistance has been shown to be costly to the bacteria, such that resistant types have reduced competitiveness relative to their sensitive progenitors in the absence of antibiotics. In this study, we examined...
Research Article | Applied and Environmental ScienceLarge Circular Plasmids from Groundwater Plasmidomes Span Multiple Incompatibility Groups and Are Enriched in Multimetal Resistance GenesPlasmidomes have been typically studied in environments abundant in bacteria, and this is the first study to explore plasmids from an environment characterized by low cell density. We specifically target groundwater, a significant source of water for human/agriculture use. We used samples from a well-studied site and identified hundreds of circular plasmids, including one of the largest sizes reported in plasmidome studies. The striking...
Research Article | Ecological and Evolutionary ScienceSimulating Multilevel Dynamics of Antimicrobial Resistance in a Membrane Computing ModelThe work that we present here represents the culmination of many years of investigation in looking for a suitable methodology to simulate the multihierarchical processes involved in antibiotic resistance. Everything started with our early appreciation of the different independent but embedded biological units that shape the biology, ecology, and evolution of antibiotic-resistant microorganisms. Genes, plasmids carrying these genes,...
Editor's Pick Research Article | Applied and Environmental ScienceEvaluation of Acquired Antibiotic Resistance in Escherichia coli Exposed to Long-Term Low-Shear Modeled Microgravity and Background Antibiotic ExposureStress factors experienced during space include microgravity, sleep deprivation, radiation, isolation, and microbial contamination, all of which can promote immune suppression (1, 2). Under these conditions, the risk of infection from opportunistic pathogens increases significantly, particularly during long-term missions (...