A Virulence Associated Siderophore Importer Reduces Antimicrobial Susceptibility of Klebsiella pneumoniae

Abstract

The accessory genomes of many pathogenic bacteria include ABC transporters that scavenge metal by siderophore uptake and ABC transporters that contribute to antimicrobial resistance by multidrug efflux. There are mechanistic and recently recognized structural similarities between siderophore importer proteins and efflux pumps. Here we investigated the influence of siderophore importer YbtPQ on antimicrobial resistance of Klebsiella pneumoniae. YbtPQ is encoded in the yersiniabactin cluster in a prevalent mobile genetic element ICEKp, and is also common in pathogenicity islands of Escherichia coli and Yersinia species, where yersiniabactin enhances virulence. Deletion of ICEKp increased the susceptibility of K. pneumoniae to all antimicrobials tested. The mechanism was dependent on the yersiniabactin importer YbtPQ and may involve antimicrobial efflux, since it was affected by the inhibitor reserpine. The element ICEKp is naturally highly mobile, indeed the accessory genome of K. pneumoniae is recognized as a reservoir of genes for the emergence of hospital outbreak strains and for transfer to other Gram-negative pathogens. Introduction of ICEKp, or a plasmid encoding YbtPQ, to E. coli decreased its susceptibility to a broad range of antimicrobials. Thus a confirmed siderophore importer, on a rapidly evolving and highly mobile element capable of interspecies transfer, may have a secondary function exporting antimicrobials.

Comprehensive analysis of the microbiome and metabolome in pus from pyogenic liver abscess patients with and without diabetes mellitus

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“…Dysregulation of the ABC transporter pathway implies that patients might be under toxic stress after exposure to SARS‐CoV‐2 34 . Besides, the accessory genomes of considerable pathogenic bacteria cover ABC transporters that contribute to antimicrobial resistance by multidrug efflux, 75 further explaining antibiotic resistance pathway enrichment. Sphingolipids are progressively recognized as critical mediators in participation with inflammatory responses and multiple pulmonary diseases 76 .…”

Correlation Between Antimicrobial Resistance, Virulence Determinants and Biofilm Formation Ability Among Extraintestinal Pathogenic Escherichia coli Strains Isolated in Catalonia, Spain

“…In addition, resistant strains produced more siderophores than their susceptible counterparts. Recently, it has been reported that the introduction of the mobile genetic element ICEKp from Klebsiella pneumoniae or a plasmid encoding YbtPQ (a siderophore importer encoded in the yersiniabactin cluster) reduced the susceptibility of E. coli to a wide range of antimicrobials ( Farzand et al, 2021 ). Regarding adhesins, type 1 fimbriae are the best known adhesive organelles among Enterobacteriaceae ( Abdelhalim et al, 2020 ) playing an important role in the initial steps of biofilm formation.…”