ORCID
0000-0002-2629-5148
Department
Biological Sciences
Year of Study
3
Full-time or Part-time Study
Full-time
Level
Postgraduate
Presentation Type
Poster
Supervisor
Dr. Eamonn Culligan
Supervisor
Prof. Roy Sleator
Supervisor
Dr. Craig Murphy
Abstract
Background
Multi-drug resistant uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) cause > 80% of community acquired urinary tract infections (UTIs) and > 40% of nosocomial UTIs. Preliminary evidence suggests a beneficial role for UPEC’s commensal counterparts, asymptomatic bacteriuria (ABU), in establishing bacterial interference against UPEC. The aim of this study was to analyse the antimicrobial activity of cell free supernatants (CFS) from ABU isolates against UPEC.
Methods
In vitro antagonistic effects of nine uncharacterised ABU isolates were compared against the inhibitory affect induced by the prototype ABU isolate, E. coli 83972. Turbidimetric growth assays were performed using the CFS of the ABU isolates against eight clinically relevant UPEC to characterise the antimicrobial activity. Subsequent analysis was completed on BAGEL4 to identify potential bacteriocin encoding genes.
Results
CFSs from all nine ABU isolates exhibited superior inhibition against UPEC growth when compared to E. coli 83972. Initial in vitro safety assessments revealed that the ABU isolates are weak biofilm formers and generally susceptible to first-line antibiotics, indicating low virulence. The ABU isolate PUTS58 proved to be the most effective, displaying the greatest antimicrobial activity against the indicator isolates. Additionally, cross-immunity assays revealed that UPEC 5 displayed strong activity against six of its fellow UPEC isolates, similar to PUTS58 in efficacy, thereby warranting further investigation.
Conclusion
ABU isolates represent promising candidates as urinary microbiome-based therapeutics, thus, the mechanism of competitive interference needs to be explored. Moreover, should PUTS58 exhibit strong efficacy in urogenital-like environments, it could be a suitable agent for therapeutic bladder colonisation.
Keywords:
Antimicrobial Resistance, Asymptomatic Bacteriuria, Bacterial Interference, Biotherapeutic, Uropathogenic E. coli, UTI
Start Date
2-11-2023 11:15 AM
End Date
2-11-2023 12:00 PM
Recommended Citation
Kenneally, Ciara, "In vitro antimicrobial activity of cell-free supernatants from asymptomatic bacteriuria (ABU) isolates against multi-drug resistant uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC)" (2023). ORBioM (Open Research BioSciences Meeting). 15.
https://sword.cit.ie/orbiom/2023/posters/15
Included in
In vitro antimicrobial activity of cell-free supernatants from asymptomatic bacteriuria (ABU) isolates against multi-drug resistant uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC)
Background
Multi-drug resistant uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) cause > 80% of community acquired urinary tract infections (UTIs) and > 40% of nosocomial UTIs. Preliminary evidence suggests a beneficial role for UPEC’s commensal counterparts, asymptomatic bacteriuria (ABU), in establishing bacterial interference against UPEC. The aim of this study was to analyse the antimicrobial activity of cell free supernatants (CFS) from ABU isolates against UPEC.
Methods
In vitro antagonistic effects of nine uncharacterised ABU isolates were compared against the inhibitory affect induced by the prototype ABU isolate, E. coli 83972. Turbidimetric growth assays were performed using the CFS of the ABU isolates against eight clinically relevant UPEC to characterise the antimicrobial activity. Subsequent analysis was completed on BAGEL4 to identify potential bacteriocin encoding genes.
Results
CFSs from all nine ABU isolates exhibited superior inhibition against UPEC growth when compared to E. coli 83972. Initial in vitro safety assessments revealed that the ABU isolates are weak biofilm formers and generally susceptible to first-line antibiotics, indicating low virulence. The ABU isolate PUTS58 proved to be the most effective, displaying the greatest antimicrobial activity against the indicator isolates. Additionally, cross-immunity assays revealed that UPEC 5 displayed strong activity against six of its fellow UPEC isolates, similar to PUTS58 in efficacy, thereby warranting further investigation.
Conclusion
ABU isolates represent promising candidates as urinary microbiome-based therapeutics, thus, the mechanism of competitive interference needs to be explored. Moreover, should PUTS58 exhibit strong efficacy in urogenital-like environments, it could be a suitable agent for therapeutic bladder colonisation.