Independent component analysis reveals 49 independently modulated gene sets within the global transcriptional regulatory architecture of multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii

Abstract

The rise in hospital outbreaks of multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii infections underscores the urgent need for alternatives to traditional broad-spectrum antibiotic therapies. The success of A. baumannii as a significant nosocomial pathogen is largely attributed to its ability to resist antibiotics and survive environmental stressors. However, there is limited literature available on the global, complex regulatory circuitry that shapes these phenotypes. Computational tools that can assist in the elucidation of A. baumannii ’s transcriptional regulatory network architecture can provide much-needed context for a comprehensive understanding of pathogenesis and virulence, as well as for the development of targeted therapies that modulate these pathways.