Article
Immunology
Marta Martinez-Guitian, Juan C. Vazquez-Ucha, Laura Alvarez-Fraga, Kelly Conde-Perez, Juan A. Vallejo, Alejandra Perina, German Bou, Margarita Poza, Alejandro Beceiro
Summary: The study conducted a global in vivo transcriptomic analysis of A. baumannii during murine pneumonia infection, revealing key genes involved in virulence that could serve as potential new therapeutic targets.
JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Irene Artuso, Harsh Poddar, Benjamin A. Evans, Paolo Visca
Summary: Acinetobacter baumannii uses multiple iron acquisition strategies to obtain iron in low iron environments, which may contribute to its proliferation in human and animal infections. Among more than 1000 genotypically diverse A. baumannii isolates, the iron uptake gene clusters feo, hemT, bfn, and bas/bau are highly prevalent, while the hemO and fbs gene clusters are rare.
MICROBIAL GENOMICS
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Hui Liu, Chun Yuan Cao, Fu Ian Qiu, Hao Nan Huang, Hongyan Xie, Renkang Dong, Yu Zhen Shi, Xiu Nian Hu
Summary: Iron ions can enhance the expression of OmpA protein in Acinetobacter baumannii, leading to increased invasiveness of strains with high OmpA protein expression. This suggests that iron control strategies may be used for the management of A. baumannii infections.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Kelly Conde-Perez, Juan C. Vazquez-Ucha, Laura Alvarez-Fraga, Lucia Ageitos, Soraya Rumbo-Feal, Marta Martinez-Guitian, Noelia Trigo-Tasende, Jaime Rodriguez, German Bou, Carlos Jimenez, Alejandro Beceiro, Margarita Poza
Summary: This study revealed the critical role of acinetobactin and its receptor bauA in the pathogenicity of A. baumannii, and identified key genes in the acinetobactin cluster that are essential for bacterial virulence. The findings suggest potential targets for developing new antivirulence agents against this microorganism.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Hing Jian Mea, Phelim Voon Chen Yong, Eng Hwa Wong
Summary: Acinetobacter baumannii, a Gram-negative opportunistic pathogen, has gained notoriety in recent years for causing nosocomial infections in critically ill patients. Its global spread, multidrug resistance, and numerous virulence factors pose a serious threat to public health worldwide. Despite efforts to understand its successes, researchers are still confounded by its highly adaptive nature.
MICROBIOLOGICAL RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Varnesh Tiku
Summary: Acinetobacter baumannii is a highly antibiotic-resistant bacterial pathogen causing severe and life-threatening infections, categorized as a high-priority pathogen by WHO. Its ability to tolerate high stress levels and exhibit high degrees of antibiotic resistance make it a serious pathogen.
DNA AND CELL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Guang-Huey Lin, Ming-Chuan Hsieh, Hung-Yu Shu
Summary: Research on Acinetobacter baumannii shows that ADH4 primarily participates in alcohol metabolism, while ADH3 and ADH6 play key roles in stress resistance and virulence. Further investigation into the roles of other ADHs in A. baumannii is warranted.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Tabbetha J. Bohac, Luting Fang, Victoria S. Banas, Daryl E. Giblin, Timothy A. Wencewicz
Summary: The synthetic siderophores can act as versatile structural and biomimetic analogues of native siderophores in targeting the pathogenic Gram-negative human pathogen Acinetobacter baumannii, with potential therapeutic applications as chemical probes or drugs. The metal-free and ferric iron complexes of the synthetic siderophores promote growth of A. baumannii, while the Ga(III)-complexes inhibit its growth effectively with low MIC values. Additionally, the synthetic siderophores compete with native siderophores for uptake in A. baumannii and maintain comparable binding affinities for ferric iron and siderophore-binding protein BauB, offering new insights for the development of siderophore-based therapeutics targeting pathogenic strains of A. baumannii.
ACS INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Patricia Koenig, Alexander Wilhelm, Christoph Schaudinn, Anja Poehlein, Rolf Daniel, Marek Widera, Beate Averhoff, Volker Mueller
Summary: In this study, a new survival strategy of Acinetobacter baumannii, called viable but non-culturable (VBNC) state, was identified. This state allows the bacteria to survive under unfavorable conditions and evade classical detection methods, thereby impacting the detection and recurring infections of A. baumannii.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jiarong Zhou, Christian J. Ventura, Yiyan Yu, Weiwei Gao, Ronnie H. Fang, Liangfang Zhang
Summary: In this study, a biomimetic nanotoxoid was designed using neutrophil membrane-coated nanoparticles to capture secreted A. baumannii factors. The nanovaccine formulation rapidly mobilizes innate immune cells and promotes pathogen-specific adaptive immunity. In murine models, vaccination with the nanovaccine offers significant protection against A. baumannii infections.
Article
Microbiology
Clay D. Jackson-Litteken, Gisela Di Venanzio, Nguyen-Hung Le, Nichollas E. Scott, Bardya Djahanschiri, Jesus S. Distel, Evan J. Pardue, Ingo Ebersberger, Mario F. Feldman
Summary: Although pathogenic Acinetobacter can cause various infections, its importance as a uropathogen has been understudied. In this study, we identified a novel type II secretion system effector, InvL, that is essential for full uropathogenesis by a modern urinary isolate. InvL, with predicted structural similarity to the intimin-invasin family of autotransporter adhesins, is anchored to the membrane as a lipoprotein. However, similar to other invasin homologs, InvL functions as a bona fide adhesin, binding to extracellular matrix components and mediating adhesion to urinary tract cell lines. Overall, these findings establish InvL as an important adhesin for Acinetobacter's urinary tract virulence and represent the first report of a type II secretion system effector belonging to the intimin-invasin family.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Lucie Semenec, Amy K. K. Cain, Catherine J. J. Dawson, Qi Liu, Hue Dinh, Hannah Lott, Anahit Penesyan, Ram Maharjan, Francesca L. L. Short, Karl A. A. Hassan, Ian T. T. Paulsen
Summary: This study characterizes the genomes of A. baumannii and K. pneumoniae strains co-isolated from a single human lung infection, and investigates their interactions through various assays. The findings shed light on their effects on antimicrobial resistance and virulence during co-infection.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Review
Microbiology
Sunil Kumar, Razique Anwer, Arezki Azzi
Summary: Acinetobacter baumannii is a deadly opportunist pathogen in hospital-acquired infections, with limited treatment options due to the emergence of multidrug-resistant strains. Understanding the virulence factors of A. baumannii is crucial for overcoming this threat.
Article
Immunology
Gathoni Kamuyu, Giuseppe Ercoli, Elisa Ramos-Sevillano, Sam Willcocks, Chidchamai Kewcharoenwong, Pattarachai Kiratisin, Peter W. Taylor, Brendan W. Wren, Ganjana Lertmemongkolchai, Richard A. Stabler, Jeremy S. Brown
Summary: The complement system plays an important role in the defense against bacterial infections, but different strains of A. baumannii show variations in their sensitivity to the complement system. These differences are partially independent of capsule composition or size, and variations in serum resistance among strains are not solely determined by MAC formation on bacterial surfaces.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Vincent Trebosc, Valentina Lucchini, Mohit Narwal, Basil Wicki, Sarah Gartenmann, Birgit Schellhorn, Julian Schill, Marilyne Bourotte, Daniel Frey, Juergen Gruenberg, Andrej Trauner, Livia Ferrari, Antonio Felici, Olivia L. Champion, Marc Gitzinger, Sergio Lociuro, Richard A. Kammerer, Christian Kemmer, Michel Pieren
Summary: The development of anti-virulence drug therapy against Acinetobacter baumannii infections is an alternative to traditional antibacterial therapy. The OmpR transcriptional regulator plays a key role in the pathogenesis of A. baumannii, and two genes have been identified as biomarkers for quantifying OmpR inhibition. The structure of OmpR DNA binding domain has been determined and a small molecule inhibitor has been identified. This study suggests OmpR as a valid and unexplored target for fighting A. baumannii infections, and provides a platform for future drug discovery programs combining in silico methods, in vitro OmpR inhibitory assays, and in vivo G. mellonella surrogate infection model.
Article
Microbiology
Alba Ruedas-Lopez, Isaac Alonso-Garcia, Cristina Lasarte-Monterrubio, Paula Guijarro-Sanchez, Eva Gato, Juan Carlos Vazquez-Ucha, Juan Andres Vallejo, Pablo Arturo Fraile-Ribot, Begona Fernandez-Perez, David Velasco, Jose Maria Gutierrez-Urbon, Marina Oviano, Alejandro Beceiro, Concepcion Gonzalez-Bello, Antonio Oliver, Jorge Arca-Suarez, German Bou
Summary: This study aimed to analyze the resistance mechanisms of ceftolozane-tazobactam and ceftazidime-avibactam in multidrug-resistant or extensively drug-resistant P. aeruginosa isolates. The findings revealed that most of the resistant isolates were recovered after treatment with ceftolozane-tazobactam or ceftazidime-avibactam. Chromosomal mutations and specific gene substitutions were identified as the main resistance mechanisms. The study emphasized the potential selection of MDR/XDR P. aeruginosa strains producing certain variants or metallo-beta-lactamases by cephalosporin/beta-lactamase inhibitors, and encouraged judicious use of these agents.
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS AND CHEMOTHERAPY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Marta Hernandez-Garcia, Maria Garcia-Castillo, Patricia Ruiz-Garbajosa, German Bou, Maria Siller-Ruiz, Cristina Pitart, Irene Gracia-Ahufinger, Xavier Mulet, Alvaro Pascual, Nuria Tormo, Rafael Canton
Summary: This study evaluated the activity of cefepime-taniborbactam against carbapenemase-producing bacteria and found it to be effective against both Enterobacterales and Pseudomonas species.
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS AND CHEMOTHERAPY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Juan Carlos Vazquez-Ucha, Cristina Lasarte-Monterrubio, Paula Guijarro-Sanchez, Marina Oviano, Laura Alvarez-Fraga, Isaac Alonso-Garcia, Jorge Arca-Suarez, German Bou, Alejandro Beceiro
Summary: The global distribution of carbapenemases is a concern due to their resistance to traditional beta-lactamase inhibitors. The development of new inhibitors shows promise in treating multidrug-resistant bacteria. The combination of cefepime with novel beta-lactamase inhibitors, zidebactam, taniborbactam, and enmetazobactam, demonstrated high activity against carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales, particularly cefepime/zidebactam and cefepime/taniborbactam.
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS AND CHEMOTHERAPY
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Carmen Antia Rodriguez-Fernandez, Manuel Busto Iglesias, Begona de Domingo, Kelly Conde-Perez, Juan A. Vallejo, Lorena Rodriguez-Martinez, Miguel Gonzalez-Barcia, Victor Llorenc, Cristina Mondelo-Garcia, Margarita Poza, Anxo Fernandez-Ferreiro
Summary: This review summarizes the potential role of intestinal dysbiosis in the pathogenesis of non-infectious uveitis (NIU) and discusses the potential of modulating the gut microbiota as a therapeutic target. Furthermore, it highlights the evidence suggesting that treatment with anti-TNF can restore the composition of the gut microbiota and predict the response of patients to treatment.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Miriam Moscoso, Juan A. Vallejo, Maria P. Cabral, Patricia Garcia, Victor Fuentes-Valverde, Eva Gato, Jorge Arca-Suarez, Pablo Aja-Macaya, German Bou
Summary: This article describes a prototype vaccine for preventing Klebsiella pneumoniae infections, which is constructed using a glutamate racemase-deficient mutant. The results show that this mutant can induce a strong immune response and provide cross-protection against systemic infections caused by highly virulent and multidrug-resistant strains of K. pneumoniae, with a high level of safety.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Pablo Aja-Macaya, Soraya Rumbo-Feal, Margarita Poza, Angelina Canizares, Juan A. A. Vallejo, German Bou
Summary: A new method for extraction and enrichment of genomic MPXV DNA was developed, which significantly improved the sequencing efficiency and trustworthiness of the consensus sequences. Enriched samples contained a higher percentage of MPXV reads compared to non-enriched samples, leading to more accurate and cost-effective diagnosis of contagious diseases.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Juan Carlos Vazquez-Ucha, Isaac Alonso-Garcia, Paula Guijarro-Sanchez, Cristina Lasarte-Monterrubio, Laura Alvarez-Fraga, Arnau Cendon-Esteve, Michelle Outeda, Romina Maceiras, Andrea Pena-Escolano, Marta Martinez-Guitian, Jorge Arca-Suarez, German Bou, Alejandro Beceiro
Summary: Metallo- ,B-lactamase (MBL)-producing Enterobacterales, which are resistant to almost all ,B-lactam antibiotics, pose a significant threat due to their wide dissemination and difficulty in treatment. This study evaluated the activity of aztreonam in combination with novel ,B-lactamase inhibitors (BLIs) against clinical isolates co-producing MBLs and SBLs. The results showed that aztreonam/zidebactam, aztreonam/avibactam, and aztreonam/taniborbactam were the most effective combinations, offering promising therapeutic strategies for difficult-to-treat infections.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Cristina Lasarte-Monterrubio, Paula Guijarro-Sanchez, Juan Carlos Vazquez-Ucha, Isaac Alonso-Garcia, Laura Alvarez-Fraga, Michelle Outeda, Marta Martinez-Guitian, Andrea Pena-Escolano, Romina Maceiras, Emilio Lence, Concepcion Gonzalez-Bello, Jorge Arca-Suarez, German Bou, Alejandro Beceiro
Summary: Resistance to cefiderocol has emerged among carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales, particularly in the Enterobacter cloacae complex. This resistance is mainly due to the production of VIM-1 carbapenemase and may also involve the co-production of SHV-12 and inactivation of the FcuA-like siderophore receptor.
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS AND CHEMOTHERAPY
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Isaac Alonso-Garcia, Juan Carlos Vazquez-Ucha, Cristina Lasarte-Monterrubio, Elena Gonzalez-Mayo, Paula Lada-Salvador, Ramon Vela-Fernandez, Pablo Aja-Macaya, Paula Guijarro-Sanchez, Soraya Rumbo-Feal, Maria Muino-Andrade, Ana Fernandez-Gonzalez, Marta Martinez-Guitian, Alejandro Beceiro, Manuel Rodriguez-Iglesias, Antonio Oliver, Jorge Arca-Suarez, Fatima Galan-Sanchez, German Bou
Summary: This study described and characterized the emergence of resistance to ceftolozane/tazobactam, ceftazidime/avibactam, and imipenem/relebactam in a patient with MDR Pseudomonas aeruginosa central nervous system infection. Mutational changes in the bacteria's genes were investigated through whole genome sequencing, and it was found that mutations in the P PDC beta-lactamase and MexAB-OprM regulator MexR played a role in the development of resistance. Cloning experiments and complementation assays confirmed the impact of the mutations on resistance. The study highlights the ability of P. aeruginosa to develop resistance and compromise the activity of new beta-lactam/beta-lactamase inhibitor combinations.
JOURNAL OF ANTIMICROBIAL CHEMOTHERAPY
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Isaac Alonso-Garcia, Juan Carlos Vazquez-Ucha, Marta Martinez-Guitian, Cristina Lasarte-Monterrubio, Salud Rodriguez-Pallares, Pablo Camacho-Zamora, Soraya Rumbo-Feal, Pablo Aja-Macaya, Lucia Gonzalez-Pinto, Michelle Outeda-Garcia, Romina Maceiras, Paula Guijarro-Sanchez, Maria Jose Muino-Andrade, Ana Fernandez-Gonzalez, Marina Oviano, Concepcion Gonzalez-Bello, Jorge Arca-Suarez, Alejandro Beceiro, German Bou
Summary: The impact of the β-lactamase OXA-10 on carbapenem resistance in Enterobacterales was investigated through various experiments. The results demonstrated that OXA-10 contributes to increased carbapenem minimum inhibitory concentrations when combined with porin deficiency. However, OXA-10 was not detected using standard biochemical tests.
Article
Oncology
Kelly Conde-Perez, Elena Buetas, Pablo Aja-Macaya, Elsa Martin-De Arribas, Iago Iglesias-Corras, Noelia Trigo-Tasende, Mohammed Nasser-Ali, Lara S. Estevez, Soraya Rumbo-Feal, Begona Otero-Alen, Jose F. Noguera, Angel Concha, Simon Pardinas-Lopez, Miguel Carda-Dieguez, Igor Gomez-Randulfe, Nieves Martinez-Lago, Susana Ladra, Luis A. Aparicio, German Bou, Alex Mira, Juan A. Vallejo, Margarita Poza
Summary: This study analyzed oral and intestinal samples from CRC patients and healthy controls using 16S metabarcoding and/or RNA sequencing. The analysis revealed that Parvimonas was significantly over-represented in feces from CRC patients compared to healthy controls. Isolates of Parvimonas micra were obtained from the oral cavity and adenocarcinoma of CRC patients, suggesting its translocation from the mouth to the gut. The study suggests that P. micra could be used as a CRC biomarker detected in non-invasive samples such as feces.
MOLECULAR ONCOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Noelia Trigo-Tasende, Juan A. Vallejo, Soraya Rumbo-Feal, Kelly Conde-Perez, Manuel Vaamonde, Angel Lopez-Oriona, Ines Barbeito, Mohammed Nasser-Ali, Ruben Reif, Bruno K. Rodino-Janeiro, Elisa Fernandez-Alvarez, Iago Iglesias-Corras, Borja Freire, Javier Tarrio-Saavedra, Laura Tomas, Pilar Gallego-Garcia, David Posada, German Bou, Ignacio Lopez-de-Ullibarri, Ricardo Cao, Susana Ladra, Margarita Poza
Summary: The wastewater-based epidemiology program COVIDBENS in A Coruna, Spain, monitored viral load and detected SARS-CoV-2 mutations in wastewater using RT-qPCR and Illumina sequencing. It successfully predicted community outbreaks and identified new variants, providing early warning to local authorities and health managers.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2023)