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Phenotypic and Metabolic Variations in High-Risk Clones of Multidrug-Resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Sonia J Gutierrez1, Juan David Escobar Prieto2, Deninson Alejandro Vargas3,4

  • 1Biology Department, Faculty of Natural and Exact Sciences, Universidad del Valle, Cali 760031, Colombia.

Microorganisms
|March 28, 2026
PubMed

Insights

High-risk clones (HRCs) of multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa show reduced motility and distinct metabolic profiles, aiding their spread. Understanding these traits is key for infection control against these persistent bacterial strains.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Genetics

Background:

  • The global rise of high-risk clones (HRCs) of multidrug-resistant (MDR) *Pseudomonas aeruginosa* poses significant challenges to infection control and treatment.
  • Globally significant HRCs, such as ST235 and ST111, are prevalent in Colombia, necessitating further investigation into their characteristics.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the phenotypic and metabolic variations in *P. aeruginosa* isolates, focusing on differences between HRCs and other strains.
  • To understand how these variations contribute to intracellular survival and dissemination in clinical settings.

Main Methods:

  • Collected and categorized 100 clinical *P. aeruginosa* isolates from Colombian hospitals into HRCs (ST235, ST111), multidrug-resistant non-high-risk clones (NHRCs), and susceptible strains (SSs).
  • Evaluated phenotypic traits: motility (swarming, swimming, twitching), spontaneous mutation frequency, biofilm formation, and pigment production (pyocyanin, pyoverdine).
  • Conducted in vitro intracellular survival assays and metabolomic profiling using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry on a subset of 30 isolates.

Main Results:

  • HRC isolates demonstrated significantly reduced motility (swarming, swimming, twitching) compared to NHRC and SS isolates.
  • HRCs exhibited lower production of pigments pyocyanin and pyoverdine.
  • Metabolomic analysis revealed elevated levels of metabolites related to iron acquisition and siderophore pathways in HRCs, suggesting enhanced iron-scavenging capabilities.

Conclusions:

  • *P. aeruginosa* HRCs possess distinct phenotypic and metabolic characteristics, including reduced motility and altered pigment production.
  • Metabolic profiling indicates a potential advantage in iron acquisition for HRCs, possibly contributing to their persistence.
  • These identified traits likely play a crucial role in the epidemiological success and dissemination of *P. aeruginosa* HRCs in healthcare environments.
Keywords:
HRCintracellular survivalmetabolismmultidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosavirulence

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