antibiotic resistance
Editor's Pick Research Article | Therapeutics and PreventionThe Landscape of Phenotypic and Transcriptional Responses to Ciprofloxacin in Acinetobacter baumannii: Acquired Resistance Alleles Modulate Drug-Induced SOS Response and Prophage ReplicationFluoroquinolones have been extremely successful antibiotics due to their ability to target multiple bacterial enzymes critical to DNA replication, the topoisomerases DNA gyrase and topo IV. Unfortunately, mutations lowering drug affinity for both enzymes are now widespread, rendering these drugs ineffective for many pathogens. To undermine this form of resistance, we examined how bacteria with target alterations differentially cope with...
Editor's Pick Research Article | Ecological and Evolutionary ScienceDe Novo Emergence of Peptides That Confer Antibiotic ResistanceDe novo gene origination from nonfunctional DNA sequences was long assumed to be implausible. However, recent studies have shown that large fractions of genomic noncoding DNA are transcribed and translated, potentially generating new genes. Experimental validation of this process so far has been limited to comparative genomics, in vitro selections, or partial randomizations. Here, we describe selection of novel...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyAntibody Treatment against Angiopoietin-Like 4 Reduces Pulmonary Edema and Injury in Secondary Pneumococcal PneumoniaDespite extensive global efforts, secondary bacterial pneumonia still represents a major cause of death in developing countries and is an important cause of long-term functional disability arising from lung tissue damage. Newer approaches to improving treatment outcomes are needed to reduce the significant morbidity and mortality caused by infectious diseases. Our study, using an experimental mouse model of secondary...
Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyIndole Reverses Intrinsic Antibiotic Resistance by Activating a Novel Dual-Function ImporterRecently, signaling molecules were found to play a role in mediating antibiotic resistance. In this study, we demonstrated that indole reversed the intrinsic antibiotic resistance (IRAR) of multiple bacterial species by promoting the expression of a novel dual-function importer. In addition, population-dependent...
Editor's Pick Observation | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyIdentification of Novel Mobilized Colistin Resistance Gene mcr-9 in a Multidrug-Resistant, Colistin-Susceptible Salmonella enterica Serotype Typhimurium IsolateColistin is a last-resort antibiotic that is used to treat severe infections caused by MDR and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) bacteria. The World Health Organization (WHO) has designated colistin as a “highest priority critically important antimicrobial for human medicine” (WHO, Critically Important Antimicrobials for Human Medicine, 5th revision, 2017,...
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...
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.
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...
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...