A novel GntR-ABC efflux system mediates oxidative stress response, drug resistance, motility and virulence in Acinetobacter baumannii ATCC 17978
Corral, Jordi (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament de Genètica i de Microbiologia)
Pérez Varela, María (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament de Genètica i de Microbiologia)
Sánchez-Osuna, Miquel (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Institut de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina "Vicent Villar Palasí")
Gaona Soler, Marc (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament de Genètica i de Microbiologia)
Campoy Sánchez, Susana (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament de Genètica i de Microbiologia)
Barbé García, Jordi (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament de Genètica i de Microbiologia)
Aranda Rodríguez, Jesús (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament de Genètica i de Microbiologia)
Parc Taulí Hospital Universitari. Institut d'Investigació i Innovació Parc Taulí (I3PT)

Date:	2026
Description:	13 pàg.
Abstract:	INTRODUCTION: Acinetobacter baumannii is a highly adaptable opportunistic pathogen, notorious for its persistence in healthcare environments and its remarkable ability to withstand oxidative stress, antimicrobial treatments, and immune defenses. METHODS: In this study, we characterized the role of the GntR family transcriptional regulator AUO97_RS16340 and its associated ABC efflux pump (AUO97_RS16355-RS16360-RS16365), previously identified as part of the OxyR regulon. RESULTS: Through gain- and loss-of-function analyses, we demonstrate that this GntR regulator positively regulates the expression of the adjacent ABC efflux pump and plays a critical role in tolerance to H2O2-induced oxidative damage. Furthermore, we show that this efflux system contributes to multiple virulence-associated traits, including antimicrobial resistance, surface-associated motility, and virulence. DISCUSSION: Our findings reveal a new efflux system that links oxidative stress adaptation, efflux-mediated antimicrobial susceptibility, and pathogenicity in A. baumannii strain ATCC 17978. Given the high conservation of the GntR transcriptional regulator and its associated efflux pump across A. baumannii genomes, these components represent promising therapeutic targets. Disrupting their activity could sensitize bacteria to oxidative stress and antimicrobials while attenuating virulence, providing a potential strategy to combat multidrug-resistant A. baumannii.
Grants:	Agencia Estatal de Investigación PID2023-152240OB-C21 Agencia Estatal de Investigación PID2020-117708GB-I00 Generalitat de Catalunya 2023/PROD-00011 Generalitat de Catalunya 2021/SGR-00646
Rights:	Aquest document està subjecte a una llicència d'ús Creative Commons. Es permet la reproducció total o parcial, la distribució, la comunicació pública de l'obra i la creació d'obres derivades, fins i tot amb finalitats comercials, sempre i quan es reconegui l'autoria de l'obra original.
Language:	Anglès
Document:	Article ; recerca ; Versió publicada
Subject:	ABC efflux pump ; Acinetobacter baumannii ; GntR transcriptional regulator ; Oxidative stress ; Pathogenesis
Published in:	Frontiers in microbiology, Vol. 17 (April 2026) , art. 1748186, ISSN 1664-302X

DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2026.1748186
PMID: 42039841

13 p, 1.5 MB

The record appears in these collections:
Research literature > UAB research groups literature > Research Centres and Groups (research output) > Health sciences and biosciences > Parc Taulí Research and Innovation Institute (I3PT
Research literature > UAB research groups literature > Research Centres and Groups (research output) > Health sciences and biosciences > Institut de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina (IBB)
Articles > Research articles
Articles > Published articles