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Molecular Aspects of Bacterial Infection
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Molecular Aspects of Bacterial Infection

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Microbiology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2025) | Viewed by 4953

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. María Soledad Ramírez

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biological Science, California State University Fullerton, 800 N State College Blvd, Fullerton, CA 92831, USA
Interests: mechanisms of antibiotic resistance; bacterial pathogenesis; dissemination and evolution of pathogens; morbidity and mortality of bacterial infections; molecular mechanism of virulence; bacterial evolution
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue on “Molecular Aspects of Bacterial Infection” aims to highlight the latest advances in understanding bacterial pathogenesis, host–pathogen interactions, and antimicrobial resistance mechanisms. As bacterial infections continue to pose significant global health challenges, research efforts focused on elucidating molecular pathways and identifying novel therapeutic strategies are crucial. This issue invites contributions that explore bacterial virulence factors, biofilm formation, resistance gene dissemination, and innovative treatment approaches, such as antimicrobial peptides and bacteriophages. By bringing together cutting-edge research, we hope to contribute to the development of more effective interventions and diagnostics for combating infectious diseases.

Leading by Dr. María Soledad Ramírez and assisting by our Topical Advisory Panel Member Dr. German Matias Traglia (Universidad de la República), this Special Issue aims to explore the intricate molecular mechanisms underlying bacterial infections, with a specific focus on antibiotic resistance. The issue will cover the following themes:

  • Mechanisms of Antibiotic Resistance;
  • Resistance Gene Dissemination;
  • Evolution of Resistant Strains;
  • Impact on Morbidity and Mortality;
  • Bacterial Virulence and Pathogenicity;
  • Innovative Treatment Strategies.

We invite researchers to submit original research, reviews, and case studies that align with these topics, contributing to the broader understanding of bacterial infections and resistance. Our goal is to foster a comprehensive discussion on combating bacterial pathogens through both molecular insights and clinical applications.

Prof. Dr. María Soledad Ramírez
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • bacterial pathogenesis
  • antimicrobial resistance
  • molecular mechanism of host-pathogen interaction
  • biofilm
  • infectious diseases

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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13 pages, 2612 KiB  
Article
Novel Insights into the Therapeutic Effect of Amentoflavone Against Aeromonas hydrophila Infection by Blocking the Activity of Aerolysin
by Jing Dong, Shengping Li, Shun Zhou, Yongtao Liu, Qiuhong Yang, Ning Xu, Yibin Yang, Bo Cheng and Xiaohui Ai
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(5), 2370; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26052370 - 6 Mar 2025
Viewed by 605
Abstract
Aeromonas hydrophila (A. hydrophila) is an opportunistic and foodborne pathogen widely spread in the environments, particularly aquatic environments. Diseases caused by A. hydrophila in freshwater aquaculture result in huge economic losses every year. The increasing emergence of antibiotic resistance has limited [...] Read more.
Aeromonas hydrophila (A. hydrophila) is an opportunistic and foodborne pathogen widely spread in the environments, particularly aquatic environments. Diseases caused by A. hydrophila in freshwater aquaculture result in huge economic losses every year. The increasing emergence of antibiotic resistance has limited the application of antibiotics in aquaculture. Aerolysin (AerA), the main virulence factor produced by A. hydrophila, has been identified as a promising target for developing drugs controlling A. hydrophila infection. Here, we found that the natural compound amentoflavone (AMF) with the MIC of 512 μg/mL against A. hydrophila could dose-dependently reduce the hemolysis of AerA, ranging from 0.5 to 4 μg/mL. Molecular docking and dynamics simulation results predicted that AMF could directly bind to domain 3 of AerA via Pro333 and Trp375 residues. Then, the binding sites were confirmed by fluorescence quenching assays. The results of heptamer formation demonstrated that the binding of AMF could affect the formation of oligomers and result in the loss of pore-forming activity. Cell viability assay showed that AerA after treatment with AMF ranging from 0.5 to 4 μg/mL could significantly reduce AerA-mediated cytotoxicity. Moreover, experimental therapeutics results showed that channel catfish infected with A. hydrophila and then administered with 20 mg/kg AMF at intervals of 12 h for 3 days could increase the survival rate by 35% compared with the positive control after a 10-day observation. These findings provided a novel approach to developing anti-infective drugs and a promising candidate for controlling A. hydrophila infection in aquaculture. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Aspects of Bacterial Infection)
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15 pages, 3612 KiB  
Article
Comparison of Staphylococcus pettenkoferi Isolated from Human Clinical Cases and Cat Carriers Regarding Antibiotic Susceptibility and Biofilm Production
by Karolina Bierowiec, Ashley Delmar, Magdalena Karwańska, Magdalena Siedlecka, Aleksandra Kumala-Ćwikła, Marta Książczyk and Katarzyna Kapczyńska
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(5), 1948; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26051948 - 24 Feb 2025
Viewed by 580
Abstract
Staphylococcus pettenkoferi (S. pettenkoferi) is a rare opportunistic bacterium not commonly found in healthy individuals or animals. S. pettenkoferi has increasing clinical significance in both veterinary and human medicine due to its multidrug resistance and biofilm-forming ability. This study analyzed 12 isolates [...] Read more.
Staphylococcus pettenkoferi (S. pettenkoferi) is a rare opportunistic bacterium not commonly found in healthy individuals or animals. S. pettenkoferi has increasing clinical significance in both veterinary and human medicine due to its multidrug resistance and biofilm-forming ability. This study analyzed 12 isolates of S. pettenkoferi collected from humans and cats and identified them using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) and 16S rRNA and partial rpoB gene sequencing. All of the S. pettenkoferi were phenotypically resistant to penicillin, and almost all (except one human strain) were resistant to methicillin. Antibiotic susceptibility testing revealed a high prevalence of multidrug resistance in all human strains with frequent resistance to β-lactams, macrolides, and tetracyclines. A comparative analysis of human and feline isolates indicated the presence of shared resistance genes such as blaZ, mecA, and ermA. Biofilm production varied across isolates, with more potent biofilm formation abilities observed at elevated temperatures (39 °C) and time (48 h). These findings underscore the potential zoonotic risks of S. pettenkoferi and its role in managing multidrug-resistant infections. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Aspects of Bacterial Infection)
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12 pages, 832 KiB  
Article
Prevalent and Drug-Resistant Phenotypes and Genotypes of Escherichia coli Isolated from Healthy Cow’s Milk of Large-Scale Dairy Farms in China
by Jiaojiao Gao, Yating Wu, Xianlan Ma, Xiaowei Xu, Aliya Tuerdi, Wei Shao, Nan Zheng and Yankun Zhao
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(2), 454; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26020454 - 8 Jan 2025
Viewed by 959
Abstract
Escherichia coli is a common cause of mastitis in dairy cows, which results in large economic losses to the livestock industry. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of E. coli in raw milk in China, assess antimicrobial drug susceptibility, [...] Read more.
Escherichia coli is a common cause of mastitis in dairy cows, which results in large economic losses to the livestock industry. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of E. coli in raw milk in China, assess antimicrobial drug susceptibility, and identify key antibiotic resistance genes carried by the isolates. In total, 350 raw milk samples were collected from large-scale farms in 16 provinces and cities in six regions of China to assess the resistance of E. coli isolates to 14 antimicrobial drugs. Among the isolates, nine resistance genes were detected. Of 81 E. coli isolates (23.1%) from 350 raw milk samples, 27 (33.3%) were multidrug resistant. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing showed that the 81 E. coli isolates were resistant to 13 (92.9%) of the 14 antibiotics, but not meropenem. The resistance gene blaTEM was highly distributed among the 27 multidrug-resistant isolates with a detection rate of 92.6%. All isolates carried at least one resistance gene, and 19 patterns of resistance gene combinations with different numbers of genes were identified. The most common gene combinations were the one-gene pattern blaTEM and the three-gene pattern blaTEM-blaPSE-blaOXA. The isolation rate of E. coli in raw milk and the identified resistance genes provide a theoretical basis for the rational use of antibiotics by clinical veterinarians. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Aspects of Bacterial Infection)
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13 pages, 5902 KiB  
Article
Insights into Acinetobacter baumannii AMA205’s Unprecedented Antibiotic Resistance
by German Matias Traglia, Fernando Pasteran, Samyar Moheb, Usman Akhtar, Sebastian Gonzalez, Carolina Maldonado, Nicholas Furtado, Ahmed Mohamed, Jenny Escalante, Marisel R. Tuttobene, Araceli Quillen, Claudia Fontan, Ezequiel Albornoz, Alejandra Corso, Robert A. Bonomo, Gauri G. Rao, Marcelo E. Tolmasky and Maria Soledad Ramirez
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(21), 11424; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms252111424 - 24 Oct 2024
Viewed by 1839
Abstract
The rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in clinical settings has become a significant global concern. Among these bacteria, Acinetobacter baumannii stands out due to its remarkable ability to acquire resistance genes and persist in hospital environments, leading to some of the most challenging infections. [...] Read more.
The rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in clinical settings has become a significant global concern. Among these bacteria, Acinetobacter baumannii stands out due to its remarkable ability to acquire resistance genes and persist in hospital environments, leading to some of the most challenging infections. Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) plays a crucial role in the evolution of this pathogen. The A. baumannii AMA205 strain, belonging to sequence type ST79, was isolated from a COVID-19 patient in Argentina in 2021. This strain’s antimicrobial resistance profile is notable as it harbors multiple resistance genes, some of which had not been previously described in this species. The AmpC family β-lactamase blaCMY-6, commonly found in Enterobacterales, had never been detected in A. baumannii before. Furthermore, this is the first ST79 strain known to carry the carbapenemase blaNDM-1 gene. Other acquired resistance genes include the carbapenemase blaOXA-23, further complicating treatment. Susceptibility testing revealed high resistance to most antibiotic families, including cefiderocol, with significant contributions from blaCMY-6 and blaNDM-1 genes to the cephalosporin and carbapenem resistance profiles. The A. baumannii AMA205 genome also contains genetic traits coding for 111 potential virulence factors, such as the iron-uptake system and biofilm-associated proteins. This study underscores A. baumannii’s ability to acquire multiple resistance genes and highlights the need for alternative therapies and effective antimicrobial stewardship to control the spread of these highly resistant strains. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Aspects of Bacterial Infection)
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18 pages, 367 KiB  
Opinion
Community-Acquired Clostridioides difficile Infection: The Fox Among the Chickens
by Panagiota Xaplanteri, Chrysanthi Oikonomopoulou, Chrysanthi Xini and Charalampos Potsios
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(10), 4716; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26104716 - 14 May 2025
Viewed by 398
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) appears mainly as nosocomial antibiotic-associated diarrhea, and community-acquired infection is increasingly being recognized. The threshold of asymptomatic colonization and the clinical manifestation of CDI need further elucidation. Community-acquired CDI (CA-CDI) should be considered when the disease commences within 48 [...] Read more.
Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) appears mainly as nosocomial antibiotic-associated diarrhea, and community-acquired infection is increasingly being recognized. The threshold of asymptomatic colonization and the clinical manifestation of CDI need further elucidation. Community-acquired CDI (CA-CDI) should be considered when the disease commences within 48 h of admission to hospital or more than 12 weeks after discharge. Although CDI is not established as a food-borne or zoonotic disease, some data support that direction. The spores’ ability to survive standard cooking procedures and on abiotic surfaces, the formation of biofilms, and their survival within biofilms of other bacteria render even a low number of spores capable of food contamination and spread. Adequate enumeration methods for detecting a low number of spores in food have not been developed. Primary care physicians should take CA-CDI into consideration in the differential diagnosis of diarrhea, as there is a thin line between colonization and infection. In patients diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease and other comorbidities, C. difficile can be the cause of recurrent disease and should be included in the estimation of diarrhea and worsening colitis symptoms. In the community setting, it is difficult to distinguish asymptomatic carriage from true infection. For asymptomatic carriage, antibiotic therapy is not suggested but contact isolation and hand-washing practices are required. Primary healthcare providers should be vigilant and implement infection control policies for the prevention of C. difficile spread. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Aspects of Bacterial Infection)
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