Global metabolic analyses identify key differences in metabolite levels between polymyxin-susceptible and polymyxin-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii

• Main Authors: Mahamad Maifiah, Mohd Hafidz, Cheah, Soon-Ee, Johnson, Matthew D., Han, Mei-Ling, Boyce, John D., Thamlikitkul, Visanu, Forrest, Alan, Kaye, Keith S., Hertzog, Paul, Purcell, Anthony W., Song, Jiangning, Velkov, Tony, Creek, Darren J., Li, Jian
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Springer Nature 2016
• Subjects: QR Microbiology; RM Therapeutics. Pharmacology; RM300 Drugs and their action
• Online Access: http://irep.iium.edu.my/65378/1/2016_SciRep.pdf; http://irep.iium.edu.my/65378/; https://www.nature.com/articles/srep22287.pdf
• Institution: Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia

Multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii presents a global medical crisis and polymyxins are used as the last-line therapy. This study aimed to identify metabolic differences between polymyxinsusceptible and polymyxin-resistant A. baumannii using untargeted metabolomics. The metabolome of each A. baumannii strain was measured using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Multivariate and univariate statistics and pathway analyses were employed to elucidate metabolic differences between the polymyxin-susceptible and -resistant A. baumannii strains. Significant differences were identified between the metabolic profiles of the polymyxin-susceptible and -resistant A. baumannii strains. The lipopolysaccharide (LPS) deficient, polymyxin-resistant 19606R showed perturbation in specific amino acid and carbohydrate metabolites, particularly pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) and tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle intermediates. Levels of nucleotides were lower in the LPS-deficient 19606R. Furthermore, 19606R exhibited a shift in its glycerophospholipid profile towards increased abundance of short-chain lipids compared to the parent polymyxin-susceptible ATCC 19606. In contrast, in a pair of clinical isolates 03–149.1 (polymyxin-susceptible) and 03–149.2 (polymyxin-resistant, due to modification of lipid A), minor metabolic differences were identified. Notably, peptidoglycan biosynthesis metabolites were significantly depleted in both of the aforementioned polymyxinresistant strains. This is the first comparative untargeted metabolomics study to show substantial differences in the metabolic profiles of the polymyxin-susceptible and -resistant A. baumannii.