abkBA toxin-antitoxin system may act as antipersister modules in Acinetobacter baumannii clinical isolates.

Aim: Persistence cells comprise a subpopulation of bacteria that is resistant to treatment. In this study, the role of the toxin-antitoxin (TA) system in the formation of persistence cells of Acinetobacter baumannii isolates was investigated. Methods: After confirming all isolates, TA systems abkBA, mqsRA and higBA were identified. Persister cells were confirmed using the standard method. Real-time PCR was used to compare the expression of TA systems in isolates in persistence and normal states. Results: The abkAB system was present in all isolates; 4% of isolates formed persister cells. The expression level of the abkB gene in persistent isolates showed a sevenfold increase compared with nonpersistent isolates. Conclusion: The abkBA system is proposed as an antipersistence target in A. baumannii isolates.

Citation

Fatemeh Latifi, Ali Hashemi, Behrooz S Kalani, Iraj Pakzad, Ali Hematian. abkBA toxin-antitoxin system may act as antipersister modules in Acinetobacter baumannii clinical isolates. Future microbiology. 2023 Jul;18:707-714

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PMID: 37552216

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