Global assessment of small RNAs reveals a non-coding transcript involved in biofilm formation and attachment in Acinetobacter baumannii ATCC 17978.

Many strains of Acinetobacter baumannii have been described as being able to form biofilm. Small non-coding RNAs (sRNAs) control gene expression in many regulatory circuits in bacteria. The aim of the present work was to provide a global description of the sRNAs produced both by planktonic and biofilm-associated (sessile) cells of A.

Molecular mechanisms involved in the response to desiccation stress and persistence in Acinetobacter baumannii.

Desiccation tolerance contributes to the maintenance of bacterial populations in hospital settings and may partly explain its propensity to cause outbreaks. Identification and relative quantitation of proteins involved in bacterial desiccation tolerance was made using label-free quantitation and iTRAQ labeling. Under desiccating conditions, the population of the Acinetobacter baumannii clinical strain AbH12O-A2 decreased in the first week, and thereafter, a stable population of 0.

Whole transcriptome analysis of Acinetobacter baumannii assessed by RNA-sequencing reveals different mRNA expression profiles in biofilm compared to planktonic cells.

Acinetobacterbaumannii has emerged as a dangerous opportunistic pathogen, with many strains able to form biofilms and thus cause persistent infections. The aim of the present study was to use high-throughput sequencing techniques to establish complete transcriptome profiles of planktonic (free-living) and sessile (biofilm) forms of A. baumannii ATCC 17978 and thereby identify differences in their gene expression patterns.

Extracellular proteome of a highly invasive multidrug-resistant clinical strain of Acinetobacter baumannii.

The study of the extracellular proteomes of pathogenic bacteria is essential for gaining insights into the mechanisms of pathogenesis and for the identification of virulence factors. Through the use of different proteomic approaches, namely Nano-LC and 2DE combined with MALDI-TOF/TOF, we have characterized the extracellular proteome of a highly invasive, multidrug-resistant strain of A. baumannii (clone AbH12O-A2).

Exploring bacterial diversity in hospital environments by GS-FLX Titanium pyrosequencing.

Understanding microbial populations in hospital environments is crucial for improving human health. Hospital-acquired infections are an increasing problem in intensive care units (ICU). In this work we present an exploration of bacterial diversity at inanimate surfaces of the ICU wards of the University Hospital A Coruña (Spain), as an example of confined hospital environment subjected to selective pressure, taking the entrance hall of the hospital, an open and crowded environment, as reference.

Associating growth-phase-related changes in the proteome of Acinetobacter baumannii with increased resistance to oxidative stress.

Acinetobacter baumannii is an opportunistic pathogen that has been associated with severe infections and outbreaks in hospitals. At present, very little is known about the biology of this bacterium, particularly as regards mechanisms of adaptation, persistence and virulence. To investigate the growth phase-dependent regulation of proteins in this microorganism, we analyzed the proteomic pattern of A.

2-DE analysis indicates that Acinetobacter baumannii displays a robust and versatile metabolism.

Background: Acinetobacter baumannii is a nosocomial pathogen that has been associated with outbreak infections in hospitals. Despite increasing awareness about this bacterium, its proteome remains poorly characterised, however recently the complete genome of A. baumannii reference strain ATCC 17978 has been sequenced.