Quantitative secretome analysis of polymyxin B resistance in Escherichia coli

Bacterial resistance has become a serious threat to human health. In particular, the gradual development of resistance to polymyxins, the last line of defense for human infections, is a major issue. Secreted proteins contribute to the interactions between bacteria and the environment. In this study, we compared the secretomes of polymyxin B-sensitive and -resistant Escherichia coli strains by data-independent acquisition mass spectrometry. In total, 87 differentially expressed secreted proteins were identified in polymyxin B-resistant E. coli compared to the sensitive strain. A GO enrichment analysis indicated that the differentially expressed proteins were involved in biological processes, including bacterial-type flagellum-dependent cell motility, ion transport, carbohydrate derivative biosynthetic process, cellular response to stimulus, organelle organization, and cell wall organization or biogenesis. The differentially expressed secreted proteins in polymyxin B-resistant bacteria were enriched for multiple pathways, suggesting that the resistance phenotype depends on complex regulatory mechanisms. A potential biomarker or drug target (YebV) was found in polymyxin B-resistant E. coli. This work clarifies the secretome changes associated with the acquisition of polymyxin resistance and may contribute to drug development.