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Peer-reviewedCC BY 4.0mLife

ISAba1‐mediated crp‐osmC amplification enhances host‐associated fitness in Acinetobacter baumannii

  • Da‐Wei Wei1
  • Jiangqing Huang1,2
  • Hailing Fang1
  • Xinyu Wang1,2
  • Gang Zhang1
  • Chao Wang1
  • Yuqin Song1
  • Jie Feng1
  1. 1State Key Laboratory of Microbial Diversity and Innovative Utilization, Institute of Microbiology Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
  2. 2College of Life Science University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
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Abstract

Acinetobacter baumannii is a pathogen, highly adaptable to both hospital‐ and host‐associated environments. Understanding the genetic mechanisms underlying its adaptability is critical for controlling its persistence. Our study identified the crp‐osmC gene cluster, flanked by ISAba1 elements, as a significant genetic structure undergoing amplification in A. baumannii. By experimentally mimicking the amplification of this gene cluster, we found that it substantially enhanced bacterial growth and competitive fitness, promoted survival in mouse serum, and improved colonization in murine infection models. Mechanistically, transcriptomic analysis suggested that crp‐osmC amplification may enhance host‐associated fitness by promoting pathways related to metabolic flexibility and nutrient acquisition, including phenylalanine metabolism, siderophore biosynthesis, and sulfur metabolism. It is noteworthy that this amplification was largely limited to the epidemic ST2 lineage clinical isolates. Intriguingly, gene amplification was also accompanied by reduced biofilm formation and heightened susceptibility to several antibiotics. Overall, ISAba1‐mediated amplification of the crp‐osmC cluster enhances host‐associated fitness in A. baumannii, while the accompanying increase in antibiotic sensitivity reflects a trade‐off between survival and resistance.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{wei2026isaba1mediated,
  title = {{ISAba1‐mediated crp‐osmC amplification enhances host‐associated fitness in Acinetobacter baumannii}},
  author = {Da‐Wei Wei and Jiangqing Huang and Hailing Fang and Xinyu Wang and Gang Zhang and Chao Wang and Yuqin Song and Jie Feng},
  journal = {mLife},
  year = {2026},
  month = sep,
  doi = {10.1002/mlf2.70105},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/mlf2.70105},
  note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - ISAba1‐mediated crp‐osmC amplification enhances host‐associated fitness in Acinetobacter baumannii
AU  - Da‐Wei Wei
AU  - Jiangqing Huang
AU  - Hailing Fang
AU  - Xinyu Wang
AU  - Gang Zhang
AU  - Chao Wang
AU  - Yuqin Song
AU  - Jie Feng
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/09/14
JO  - mLife
DO  - 10.1002/mlf2.70105
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1002/mlf2.70105
AB  - Acinetobacter baumannii is a pathogen, highly adaptable to both hospital‐ and host‐associated environments. Understanding the genetic mechanisms underlying its adaptability is critical for controlling its persistence. Our study identified the crp‐osmC gene cluster, flanked by ISAba1 elements, as a significant genetic structure undergoing amplification in A. baumannii. By experimentally mimicking the amplification of this gene cluster, we found that it substantially enhanced bacterial growth and competitive fitness, promoted survival in mouse serum, and improved colonization in murine infection models. Mechanistically, transcriptomic analysis suggested that crp‐osmC amplification may enhance host‐associated fitness by promoting pathways related to metabolic flexibility and nutrient acquisition, including phenylalanine metabolism, siderophore biosynthesis, and sulfur metabolism. It is noteworthy that this amplification was largely limited to the epidemic ST2 lineage clinical isolates. Intriguingly, gene amplification was also accompanied by reduced biofilm formation and heightened susceptibility to several antibiotics. Overall, ISAba1‐mediated amplification of the crp‐osmC cluster enhances host‐associated fitness in A. baumannii, while the accompanying increase in antibiotic sensitivity reflects a trade‐off between survival and resistance.
SN  - 2097-1699
SN  - 2770-100X
ER  -