title: Pseudomonas aeruginosaLifestyle: A Paradigm for Adaptation, Survival, and Persistence.
abstract: Pseudomonas aeruginosais an opportunistic pathogen affecting immunocompromised patients. It is known as the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients and as one of the leading causes of nosocomial infections. Due to a range of mechanisms for adaptation, survival and resistance to multiple classes of antibiotics, infections byP. aeruginosastrains can be life-threatening and it is emerging worldwide as public health threat. This review highlights the diversity of mechanisms by whichP. aeruginosapromotes its survival and persistence in various environments and particularly at different stages of pathogenesis. We will review the importance and complexity of regulatory networks and genotypic-phenotypic variations known as adaptive radiation by whichP. aeruginosaadjusts physiological processes for adaptation and survival in response to environmental cues and stresses. Accordingly, we will review the central regulatory role of quorum sensing and signaling systems by nucleotide-based second messengers resulting in different lifestyles ofP. aeruginosa. Furthermore, various regulatory proteins will be discussed which form a plethora of controlling systems acting at transcriptional level for timely expression of genes enabling rapid responses to external stimuli and unfavorable conditions. Antibiotic resistance is a natural trait forP. aeruginosaand multiple mechanisms underlying different forms of antibiotic resistance will be discussed here. The importance of each mechanism in conferring resistance to various antipseudomonal antibiotics and their prevalence in clinical strains will be described. The underlying principles for acquiring resistance leading pan-drug resistant strains will be summarized. A future outlook emphasizes the need for collaborative international multidisciplinary efforts to translate current knowledge into strategies to prevent and treatP. aeruginosainfections while reducing the rate of antibiotic resistance and avoiding the spreading of resistant strains.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Fundamental Sciences, Massey University Palmerston North, New Zealand.
authors.forename: M Fata
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Moradali
authors.affiliation: Institute of Fundamental Sciences, Massey University Palmerston North, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Shirin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ghods
authors.affiliation: Institute of Fundamental Sciences, Massey University Palmerston North, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Bernd H A
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Rehm
mesh_terms: D000220:Adaptation, Biological; D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D014644:Genetic Variation; D050296:Microbial Viability; D010641:Phenotype; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000502:physiology*; D013312:Stress, Physiological
keywords: Pseudomonas aeruginosa; antibiotic resistance; biofilm; persistence; virulence