Single-cell insights into the adaptability of Pseudomonas aeruginosa: Unraveling the activation of the Alp and Prt Regulon in response to DNA Damage

• Grant number: 24/07738-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate (Direct)
• Start date: January 06, 2025
• End date: January 05, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Biology
• Principal Investigator: Rodrigo da Silva Galhardo
• Grantee: Renatta Santos de Oliveira
• Supervisor: Simon Lee Dove
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Boston Children's Hospital, United States
• Associated to the scholarship: 20/12744-8 - Genomic and genetic analysis of SOS response induction in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, BP.DD

Abstract

Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a gram-negative bacterium, exhibits remarkable adaptabilityto diverse environments due to its diversity of metabolic pathways and regulatorygenes. As a significant opportunistic pathogen, it poses a considerable threat to humanhealth, particularly among immunocompromised individuals. Common infectionscaused by P. aeruginosa include respiratory tract infections, urinary tract infections,and skin infections, often presenting challenges in treatment due to intrinsic andacquired antibiotic resistance mechanisms. The emergence of drug-resistant strainsunderscores the urgency for novel therapeutic strategies. Ciprofloxacin, a widely usedantibiotic, targets bacterial DNA replication enzymes, inducing the SOS response-aconserved pathway for DNA damage tolerance and repair. In P. aeruginosa, thisresponse triggers additional regulons, alp and prt, influencing cell survival andvirulence. This project aims to dissect the dynamics of SOS response induction at thesingle-cell level using fluorescent reporters and time-lapse microscopy. Understandingthese pathways' interplay can provide insights into bacterial adaptation mechanismsand aid in developing effective therapeutic interventions against drug-resistant P.aeruginosa infections.