Single-bacterial cell insights into mechanisms of ceftriaxone resistance in Neisseria subflava - PubMed
4 hours ago
- #Neisseria subflava
- #antibiotic resistance
- #biofilm formation
- Study investigates how ceftriaxone exposure drives antibiotic resistance and adaptation in the airway commensal Neisseria subflava, a pathobiont linked to bronchiectasis.
- Experimental evolution under antibiotic pressure leads to a >300-fold increase in ceftriaxone resistance, enhanced biofilm formation, and genetic changes, including recurrent mutations in the adhesin gene ataA.
- Single-cell transcriptomics identifies six distinct functional clusters related to growth, metal homeostasis, oxidative stress, and cell-wall remodeling, revealing multifaceted adaptive strategies.
- Biofilm integrity is maintained through compensatory upregulation of comP and bamE, promoting phagocytic evasion and resistance, observed in both evolved strains and clinical isolates.
- Iron availability stabilizes biofilm and modulates antibiotic tolerance, highlighting metal homeostasis as a key adaptive axis in the transition from commensal to pathogen.