Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 4, 2026

Author Spotlight: Advancing Antibiotic Resistance Research Using an Efflux-Deficient Bacterial Strain and a Single-Copy Gene Expression System
05:06

Author Spotlight: Advancing Antibiotic Resistance Research Using an Efflux-Deficient Bacterial Strain and a Single-Copy Gene Expression System

Published on: January 5, 2024

1.3K

Role of OmpA in the multidrug resistance phenotype of Acinetobacter baumannii

Younes Smani1, Anna Fàbrega, Ignasi Roca

  • 1Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla (IBiS), Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/CSIC/Universidad de Sevilla, Clinic Unit of Infectious Diseases, Microbiology and Preventive Medicine, Seville, Spain.

Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy
|January 1, 2014
PubMed

Insights

Outer membrane protein A (OmpA) significantly impacts Acinetobacter baumannii's resistance to common antibiotics. Disrupting the OmpA gene in this multidrug-resistant pathogen lowered its resistance to several key antimicrobial drugs.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Acinetobacter baumannii is a significant nosocomial pathogen.
  • Multidrug resistance is a growing concern in A. baumannii infections.
  • The specific role of outer membrane protein A (OmpA) in antimicrobial resistance is not well-defined.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the contribution of OmpA to the antimicrobial resistance of Acinetobacter baumannii.
  • To characterize the impact of ompA gene disruption on antibiotic susceptibility.

Main Methods:

  • Gene disruption of ompA in Acinetobacter baumannii.
  • Determination of minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) for various antibiotics.

Main Results:

  • Disruption of the ompA gene resulted in reduced MICs for chloramphenicol.
  • ompA gene disruption led to decreased resistance to aztreonam.
  • Nalidixic acid susceptibility increased following ompA gene disruption.

Conclusions:

  • OmpA plays a crucial role in the intrinsic antimicrobial resistance of Acinetobacter baumannii.
  • Targeting OmpA could be a potential strategy to combat multidrug-resistant A. baumannii infections.
  • This study provides novel insights into the mechanisms of antibiotic resistance in this opportunistic pathogen.

More Related Videos

The Application of Open Searching-based Approaches for the Identification of Acinetobacter baumannii O-linked Glycopeptides08:37

The Application of Open Searching-based Approaches for the Identification of Acinetobacter baumannii O-linked Glycopeptides

Published on: November 2, 2021

1.7K
Isolation and Identification of Waterborne Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria and Molecular Characterization of their Antibiotic Resistance Genes08:58

Isolation and Identification of Waterborne Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria and Molecular Characterization of their Antibiotic Resistance Genes

Published on: March 3, 2023

8.8K

Related Concept Videos

Mechanism of Antibiotic Resistance in MRSA01:25

Mechanism of Antibiotic Resistance in MRSA

Antibiotic resistance in bacteria arises when microorganisms evolve the ability to withstand drugs designed to kill them or inhibit their growth, rendering once-effective treatments useless. This phenomenon, driven by genetic change and selection under antibiotic exposure, poses a profound threat to modern medicine. Mechanisms include drug-inactivating enzymes (e.g., β-lactamases), efflux pumps that eject antibiotics, mutations altering antibiotic targets, decreased drug uptake, and...
219
Clinical Significance of Antibiotic Resistance01:25

Clinical Significance of Antibiotic Resistance

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) presents a critical public health threat, arising from its capacity to resist β-lactam antibiotics due to acquisition of the mecA gene within the staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec). This gene encodes penicillin-binding protein 2a (PBP2a), which impairs binding efficacy of methicillin and other β-lactams. MRSA has evolved into distinct clonal lineages impacting humans and animals alike, reinforcing its significance within...
90
Development of Antibiotic Resistance01:30

Development of Antibiotic Resistance

Antibiotic resistance is a major public health concern that arises when bacteria evolve mechanisms to withstand the effects of antibiotic treatments. This resistance can be intrinsic, acquired through genetic mutations, or transferred between bacteria via horizontal gene transfer. The development of antibiotic resistance poses significant challenges in treating bacterial infections and necessitates ongoing research to develop new therapeutic strategies.Intrinsic resistance occurs when bacterial...
2.0K
Operon Model01:23

Operon Model

The operon model represents a fundamental mechanism of gene regulation in prokaryotes, enabling coordinated expression of genes involved in related metabolic or functional pathways. Operons consist of structural genes, a promoter, and an operator, with transcription regulated by repressors, activators, and small effector molecules.Structure and Function of OperonsAn operon is a cluster of structural genes transcribed together under the control of a single promoter. The promoter region...
2.5K
Gene Regulation in Microbial Communities: Quorum Sensing01:28

Gene Regulation in Microbial Communities: Quorum Sensing

Quorum sensing is a mechanism of bacterial communication that enables coordinated gene expression in response to changes in population density. This facilitates collective behaviors that enhance survival, resource acquisition, and ecological adaptation. This process relies on small signaling molecules called autoinducers that accumulate as bacterial populations grow. When a critical threshold concentration of autoinducers is reached, bacterial cells collectively modify gene expression,...
954
Defense Against Bacterial Pathogens01:31

Defense Against Bacterial Pathogens

The human immune system is a complex network of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to defend the body against bacterial infections. It consists of various immune cells, each playing a specific role in the defense mechanism.
Phagocytes
Phagocytes are the frontline soldiers of the immune system. They include neutrophils and macrophages. Neutrophils are the most abundant type of white blood cell and are quickly mobilized to the site of infection. Macrophages are larger cells that patrol...
3.0K