2023 Fiscal Year Annual Research Report
Temperature-driven regulation system of hypermucoviscosity in carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae
| Project/Area Number |
21K16947
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| Research Institution | Hiroshima University |
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Principal Investigator |
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| Project Period (FY) |
2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
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| Keywords | Klebsiella pneumoniae / hypermucoviscosity / virulence factor / antimicrobial resistance / bacteriocin |
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| Outline of Annual Research Achievements |
Hypermucoviscosity (HMV) is a phenotype commonly associated with hypervirulence of Klebsiella pneumoniae (Kp), which is usually regulated by rmpA or rmpA2 genes. Our analysis showed that the low HMV level is usually related to rmpA/rmpA2, while the high HMV level is not. Strains carrying rmpA/rmpA2 are likely to express HMV at 37°C, whereas those negative for these genes are likely to express HMV at room temperature.
Kp also produces several kinds of bacteriocins that have antimicrobial effects against other species. We found that 32.8% of isolates carried at least one bacteriocin type. Microcin E492 was the most prevalent type (14.4%) and had a wide spectrum of activity. Cloacin-like bacteriocin was detected in 7.2% of strains and exhibited inhibitory effect against mainly Klebsiella spp.
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