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Rapid and Specific Detection of Acinetobacter baumannii Infections Using a Recombinase Polymerase Amplification/Cas12a-based System
Published on: April 25, 2025
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CRISPR-cas subtype I-Fb in Acinetobacter baumannii: evolution and utilization for strain subtyping.
Nabil Karah1, Ørjan Samuelsen2, Raffaele Zarrilli3
1The Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden; Umeå Centre for Microbial Research, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
Plos One
|February 24, 2015
Summary
Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) in Acinetobacter baumannii show dynamic evolution, including horizontal gene transfer. CRISPR-based subtyping effectively tracks global bacterial populations and outbreaks.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Genomics
- Bacterial Evolution
Background:
- Acinetobacter baumannii is an opportunistic pathogen known for its global spread.
- CRISPR-Cas systems provide bacteria with adaptive immunity against phages and plasmids.
- Two CRISPR-Cas systems exist in A. baumannii, with subtype I-Fb being of particular interest.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the evolution and diversity of CRISPR-cas subtype I-Fb spacers in a global collection of A. baumannii isolates.
- To determine the evolutionary pathways and potential for horizontal gene transfer of the CRISPR-cas I-Fb locus.
- To assess the utility of CRISPR-based subtyping for tracking global A. baumannii populations.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of CRISPR-cas subtype I-Fb locus in 76 A. baumannii isolates from 14 countries.
- Phylogenetic analysis to determine evolutionary lineages and horizontal transfer events.
- CRISPR-based sequence typing (CST) to classify isolates and track epidemiological relationships.
Main Results:
- The CRISPR-cas I-Fb locus evolved from a common ancestor via vertical descent with occasional horizontal transfers.
- Forty distinct CRISPR-based sequence types (CSTs) were identified.
- Specific CSTs (e.g., CST1, CST23-24) were linked to international clones and caused significant outbreaks or importations across continents.
- CRISPR-based subtyping successfully differentiated global A. baumannii isolates.
Conclusions:
- The CRISPR-cas subtype I-Fb locus in A. baumannii exhibits dynamic evolution, including horizontal gene transfer.
- CRISPR-based subtyping is a powerful tool for characterizing and tracking global A. baumannii populations and their spread.
- Understanding the evolution of CRISPR-cas systems aids in managing the dissemination of this opportunistic pathogen.
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