Rethinking the barrier: How a Gram-negative bacterium alters its surface to become multidrug resistant

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 DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Bacterial pathogens exploit various molecular mechanisms to survive unpredictable and adverse environmental conditions. Gram-negative bacteria often alter their environmentally exposed outer membrane, an asymmetric bilayer consisting of inner leaflet glycerophospholipids and essential outer leaflet lipooligosaccharide (LPS) or lipopolysaccharide (LOS). Acinetobacter baumannii is a Gram-negative nosocomial pathogen that thrives in healthcare settings because of its ability to develop resistance to antibiotics. Multidrug resistant A. baumannii have become widespread over the past decade and last-line antibiotics such as colistin, which target the essential LOS in the outer membrane, have been increasingly prescribed to treat multidrug resistant infections. While colistin resistance was once rare, this is no longer the case, especially regarding A. baumannii. Uniquely, A. baumannii can completely shutdown LOS biosynthesis to develop resistance to colistin and many other commonly prescribed antibiotics. This finding is surprising since LPS/LOS are typically essential for Gram-negative bacterial viability. Mechanisms that contribute to LOS deficiency and the resulting multidrug resistance phenotype are not understood. The overall objective of this proposal is to characterize and understand a novel multidrug resistance mechanism. The Specific Aims of this proposal are (i) to understand the genetic requirements for complete loss of LOS and (ii) to characterize the altered outer membrane permeability barrier in LOS deficient A. baumannii. Completion of this work will contribute a critical body of knowledge to the essentiality of LPS/LOS in Gram-negative bacteria and provide understanding of the molecular mechanisms required for a novel multidrug resistance mechanism. The basic science framework from this proposal could also potentially lead to development of novel therapeutics and improved vaccines.