Lon Protease Has Multifaceted Biological Functions in Acinetobacter baumannii

Abstract

Acinetobacter baumannii is an opportunistic pathogen and is a leading cause of hospital-acquired infections. A. baumannii is difficult to eradicate and to manage, because this bacterium is known to robustly survive desiccation and to quickly gain antibiotic resistance. We sought to investigate biofilm formation in A. baumannii , since much remains unknown about biofilm formation in this bacterium. Biofilms, which are multicellular communities of bacteria, are surface attached and difficult to eliminate from hospital equipment and implanted devices. Our research identifies multifaceted physiological roles for the conserved bacterial protease Lon in A. baumannii . These roles include biofilm formation, motility, and viability. This work broadly affects and expands understanding of the biology of A. baumannii , which will permit us to find effective ways to eliminate the bacterium.