Persistent Bacterial Coinfection of a COVID-19 Patient Caused by a Genetically Adapted Pseudomonas aeruginosa Chronic Colonizer

Jiuxin Qu; Zhao Cai; Yumei Liu; Xiangke Duan; Shuhong Han; Jihong Liu; Jihong Liu; Yuao Zhu; Zhaofang Jiang; Yingdan Zhang; Chao Zhuo; Yang Liu; Yingxia Liu; Yingxia Liu; Lei Liu; Lei Liu; Liang Yang; Liang Yang

doi:10.3389/fcimb.2021.641920

Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology (Mar 2021)

Persistent Bacterial Coinfection of a COVID-19 Patient Caused by a Genetically Adapted Pseudomonas aeruginosa Chronic Colonizer

Jiuxin Qu,
Zhao Cai,
Yumei Liu,
Xiangke Duan,
Shuhong Han,
Jihong Liu,
Jihong Liu,
Yuao Zhu,
Zhaofang Jiang,
Yingdan Zhang,
Chao Zhuo,
Yang Liu,
Yingxia Liu,
Yingxia Liu,
Lei Liu,
Lei Liu,
Liang Yang,
Liang Yang

Affiliations

Jiuxin Qu: Department of Clinical Laboratory, Shenzhen Third People's Hospital, Second Hospital Affiliated to Southern University of Science and Technology, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Shenzhen, China
Zhao Cai: School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
Yumei Liu: School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
Xiangke Duan: School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
Shuhong Han: School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
Jihong Liu: School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
Jihong Liu: Medical Research Center, Southern University of Science and Technology Hospital, Shenzhen, China
Yuao Zhu: School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
Zhaofang Jiang: Department of Clinical Laboratory, Shenzhen Third People's Hospital, Second Hospital Affiliated to Southern University of Science and Technology, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Shenzhen, China
Yingdan Zhang: School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
Chao Zhuo: The State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
Yang Liu: Medical Research Center, Southern University of Science and Technology Hospital, Shenzhen, China
Yingxia Liu: Department of Clinical Laboratory, Shenzhen Third People's Hospital, Second Hospital Affiliated to Southern University of Science and Technology, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Shenzhen, China
Yingxia Liu: Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Immunity, State Key Discipline of Infectious Disease, Shenzhen Third People’s Hospital, Second Hospital Affiliated to Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
Lei Liu: Department of Clinical Laboratory, Shenzhen Third People's Hospital, Second Hospital Affiliated to Southern University of Science and Technology, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Shenzhen, China
Lei Liu: Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Immunity, State Key Discipline of Infectious Disease, Shenzhen Third People’s Hospital, Second Hospital Affiliated to Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
Liang Yang: School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
Liang Yang: Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Gene Regulation and Systems Biology, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fcimb.2021.641920
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 11

Abstract

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Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a biofilm-forming opportunistic pathogen which causes chronic infections in immunocompromised patients and leads to high mortality rate. It is identified as a common coinfecting pathogen in COVID-19 patients causing exacerbation of illness. In our hospital, P. aeruginosa is one of the top coinfecting bacteria identified among COVID-19 patients. We collected a strong biofilm-forming P. aeruginosa strain displaying small colony variant morphology from a severe COVID-19 patient. Genomic and transcriptomic sequencing analyses were performed with phenotypic validation to investigate its adaptation in SARS-CoV-2 infected environment. Genomic characterization predicted specific genomic islands highly associated with virulence, transcriptional regulation, and DNA restriction-modification systems. Epigenetic analysis revealed a specific N6-methyl adenine (m6A) methylating pattern including methylation of alginate, flagellar and quorum sensing associated genes. Differential gene expression analysis indicated that this isolate formed excessive biofilm by reducing flagellar formation (7.4 to 1,624.1 folds) and overproducing extracellular matrix components including CdrA (4.4 folds), alginate (5.2 to 29.1 folds) and Pel (4.8–5.5 folds). In summary, we demonstrated that P. aeuginosa clinical isolates with novel epigenetic markers could form excessive biofilm, which might enhance its antibiotic resistance and in vivo colonization in COVID-19 patients.

Published in Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology

ISSN: 2235-2988 (Online)
Publisher: Frontiers Media S.A.
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Science: Microbiology
Website: http://www.frontiersin.org/Cellular-and-Infection-Microbiology

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