antibiotic resistance
Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyA Gene Cluster That Encodes Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors Contributes to Bacterial Persistence and Antibiotic Tolerance in Burkholderia thailandensisThe discovery of antibiotics such as penicillin and streptomycin marked a historic milestone in the 1940s and heralded a new era of antimicrobial therapy as the modern standard for medical treatment. Yet, even in those early days of discovery, it was noted that a small subset of cells (∼1 in 105) survived antibiotic treatment and continued to persist, leading to recurrence of chronic infection. These persisters are phenotypic...
Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyFrom Modules to Networks: a Systems-Level Analysis of the Bacitracin Stress Response in Bacillus subtilisAntibiotic resistance poses a major threat to global health, and systematic studies to understand the underlying resistance mechanisms are urgently needed. Although significant progress has been made in deciphering the mechanistic basis of individual resistance determinants, many bacterial species rely on the induction of a whole battery of resistance modules, and the complex regulatory networks controlling these modules in response to...
Research Article | Ecological and Evolutionary ScienceLying in Wait: Modeling the Control of Bacterial Infections via Antibiotic-Induced ProvirusesAntibiotic resistance is a growing concern for management of common bacterial infections. Here, we show that antibiotics can be effective at subinhibitory levels when bacteria carry latent phage. Our findings suggest that specific treatment strategies based on the identification of latent viruses in individual bacterial strains may be an effective personalized medicine approach to antibiotic stewardship.
Research Article | Applied and Environmental ScienceLongitudinal Comparison of Bacterial Diversity and Antibiotic Resistance Genes in New York City SewageUrban sewage or wastewater is a diverse source of bacterial growth, as well as a hot spot for the development of environmental antibiotic resistance, which can in turn influence the health of the residents of the city. As part of a larger study to characterize the urban New York City microbial metagenome, we collected raw sewage samples representing three seasonal time points spanning the five boroughs of NYC and went on to characterize...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyComparative Genome Analysis of an Extensively Drug-Resistant Isolate of Avian Sequence Type 167 Escherichia coli Strain Sanji with Novel In Silico Serotype O89b:H9E. coli strain Sanji is the first sequenced and analyzed genome of the recently emerged pathogenic XDR strains with sequence type ST167 and novel in silico serotype O89b:H9. Comparison of the genomes of Sanji with other ST167 strains revealed distinct sets of different plasmids, mobile IS elements, and antibiotic resistance genes in each genome, indicating...
Research Article | Ecological and Evolutionary ScienceMobile Compensatory Mutations Promote Plasmid SurvivalUnderstanding the evolutionary forces that maintain antibiotic resistance genes in a population, especially when antibiotics are not used, is an important problem for human health and society. The most common platform for the dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes is conjugative plasmids. Experimental studies showed that mutations located on the plasmid or the bacterial chromosome can reduce the costs plasmids impose on their...
Research Article | Applied and Environmental ScienceAntimicrobial Chemicals Associate with Microbial Function and Antibiotic Resistance IndoorsThe ubiquitous use of antimicrobial chemicals may have undesired consequences, particularly on microbes in buildings. This study shows that the taxonomy and function of microbes in indoor dust are strongly associated with antimicrobial chemicals—more so than any other feature of the buildings. Moreover, we identified links between antimicrobial chemical concentrations in dust and culturable bacteria that are cross-resistant to three...
Research Article | Ecological and Evolutionary ScienceLoss of Bacitracin Resistance Due to a Large Genomic Deletion among Bacillus anthracis StrainsAnthrax is caused by Bacillus anthracis, an endospore-forming soil bacterium. The genetic diversity of B. anthracis is known to be low compared with that of Bacillus species. In this study, we performed whole-genome sequencing of...
Editor's Pick Research Article | Ecological and Evolutionary ScienceBlack Queen Evolution and Trophic Interactions Determine Plasmid Survival after the Disruption of the Conjugation NetworkBacterial antibiotic resistance is often a part of mobile genetic elements that move from one bacterium to another. By interfering with the horizontal movement and the maintenance of these elements, it is possible to remove the resistance from the population. Here, we show that a so-called plasmid-dependent bacteriophage causes the initially resistant bacterial population to become susceptible to antibiotics. However, this effect is...
Research Article | Therapeutics and PreventionBacteriophages Synergize with the Gut Microbial Community To Combat SalmonellaAntibiotic-resistant bacteria are a global threat. Therefore, alternative approaches for combatting bacteria, especially antibiotic-resistant bacteria, are urgently needed. Using a human gut microbiota model, we demonstrate that bacteriophages (phages) are able to substantially decrease pathogenic Salmonella without perturbing the microbiota. Conversely, antibiotic treatment leads to the eradication of close to all commensal...