Open AccessProphages Present in Acinetobacter pittii Influence Bacterial Virulence, Antibiotic Resistance, and Genomic Rearrangements
Author(s) -
Richard Zhu,
Vinayak Mathur
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
phage
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2641-6549
pISSN - 2641-6530
DOI - 10.1089/phage.2021.0014
Subject(s) - prophage , virulence , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , antibiotic resistance , acinetobacter baumannii , acinetobacter , virulence factor , antibiotics , genetics , gene , bacteria , bacteriophage , escherichia coli , pseudomonas aeruginosa
Antibiotic resistance and virulence are common among bacterial populations, posing a global clinical challenge. The bacterial species Acinetobacter pittii , an infectious agent in clinical environments, has shown increasing rates of antibiotic resistance. Viruses that integrate as prophages into A. pittii could be a potential cause of this pathogenicity, as they often contain antibiotic resistance or virulence factor gene sequences. Methods: In this study, we analyzed 25 A. pittii strains for potential prophages. Using virulence factor databases, we identified many common and virulent prophages in A. pittii . Results: The analysis also included a specific catalogue of the virulence factors and antibiotic resistance genes contributed by A. pittii prophages. Finally, our results illustrate multiple similarities between A. pittii and its bacterial relatives with regard to prophage integration sites and prevalence. Discussion: These findings provide a broader insight into prophage behavior that can be applied to future studies on similar species in the Acinetobacter calcoaceticus - baumannii complex.