Expanding the paradigm for the outer membrane: Acinetobacter baumannii in the absence of endotoxin
Abstract
Asymmetry in the outer membrane has long defined the cell envelope of Gram‐negative bacteria. This asymmetry, with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or lipooligosaccharide (LOS) exclusively in the outer leaflet of the membrane, establishes an impermeable barrier that protects the cell from a number of stressors in the environment. Work done over the past 5 years has shown that Acinetobacter baumannii has the remarkable capability to survive with inactivated production of lipid A biosynthesis and the absence of LOS in its outer membrane. The implications of LOS‐deficient A. baumannii are far‐reaching – from impacts on cell envelope biogenesis and maintenance, bacterial physiology, antibiotic resistance and virulence. This review examines recent work that has contributed to our understanding of LOS‐deficiency and compares it to studies done on Neisseria meningitidis and Moraxella catarrhalis; the two other organisms with this capability.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Pub Defense Publication
- Publication Date
- Nov 20, 2017
- Source ID
- 10.1111/mmi.13872
Entities
People
- M Stephen Trent
- Matthew J. Powers
Organizations
- Army Research Office
- National Institutes of Health
- National Science Foundation
- University of Georgia