Mutations in the transcriptional regulator MAB_2885 confer tedizolid and linezolid resistance through the MmpS-MmpL efflux pump MAB_2302-MAB_2303 in Mycobacterium abscessus.

Mycobacterium abscessus (MAB) is a clinically significant multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogen, particularly implicated in pulmonary infections among cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. Tedizolid (TZD), an oxazolidinone-class antibacterial drug, has been recommended as an alternative treatment for MAB-infe...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Huiyun Zhang, Shiyong Wang, Yu Zhang, Wenya Hua, Siran Lin, Xinchang Chen, Tao Xu, Jiazhen Chen, Wenhong Zhang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2025-05-01
Series:PLoS Pathogens
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1013190
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849468772935532544
author Huiyun Zhang
Shiyong Wang
Yu Zhang
Wenya Hua
Siran Lin
Xinchang Chen
Tao Xu
Jiazhen Chen
Wenhong Zhang
author_facet Huiyun Zhang
Shiyong Wang
Yu Zhang
Wenya Hua
Siran Lin
Xinchang Chen
Tao Xu
Jiazhen Chen
Wenhong Zhang
author_sort Huiyun Zhang
collection DOAJ
description Mycobacterium abscessus (MAB) is a clinically significant multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogen, particularly implicated in pulmonary infections among cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. Tedizolid (TZD), an oxazolidinone-class antibacterial drug, has been recommended as an alternative treatment for MAB-infected patients who are intolerant to or whose isolate is resistant to first-line drugs including linezolid (LZD). To investigate the TZD resistance mechanisms in MAB, we isolated 23 TZD-resistant MAB mutants and performed whole-genome sequencing (WGS) to identify resistance-associated genes. Frequent mutations were identified in MAB_2885, encoding a putative TetR transcriptional regulator, and MAB_2303, encoding a putative mycobacterial membrane protein large (MmpL). Drug susceptibility testing confirmed that MAB_2885 mutations contribute to both TZD and LZD resistance in MAB. RNA-seq analysis revealed that restoring wild-type MAB_2885 in mutants downregulated the MAB_2302-MAB_2303. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) showed the MAB_2885 protein binds to its target sequence upstream of MAB_2302-MAB_2303, further confirming their regulatory relationship. The W91R mutation in the MAB_2885 protein was found to impair its DNA-binding activity compared to the wild-type. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis confirmed that MAB_2302-MAB_2303 functions as a TZD efflux pump. Additionally, overexpression of MAB_2885 in M. abscessus subsp. bolletii and M. abscessus subsp. massiliense also increased their TZD susceptibility and downregulated their respective MmpS-MmpL orthologs. Overall, our study demonstrates that mutations in MAB_ 2885 contribute to TZD and LZD resistance by disrupting the negative regulation of the downstream MAB_2302-MAB_2303, which functions as a direct efflux pump for TZD. These findings provide new insights into oxazolidinone resistance mechanisms in MAB and identify potential biomarkers for detecting drug resistance.
format Article
id doaj-art-b6da29d9bdde4216a2e6c5a2dc7ffdb1
institution Kabale University
issn 1553-7366
1553-7374
language English
publishDate 2025-05-01
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
record_format Article
series PLoS Pathogens
spelling doaj-art-b6da29d9bdde4216a2e6c5a2dc7ffdb12025-08-20T03:25:45ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS Pathogens1553-73661553-73742025-05-01215e101319010.1371/journal.ppat.1013190Mutations in the transcriptional regulator MAB_2885 confer tedizolid and linezolid resistance through the MmpS-MmpL efflux pump MAB_2302-MAB_2303 in Mycobacterium abscessus.Huiyun ZhangShiyong WangYu ZhangWenya HuaSiran LinXinchang ChenTao XuJiazhen ChenWenhong ZhangMycobacterium abscessus (MAB) is a clinically significant multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogen, particularly implicated in pulmonary infections among cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. Tedizolid (TZD), an oxazolidinone-class antibacterial drug, has been recommended as an alternative treatment for MAB-infected patients who are intolerant to or whose isolate is resistant to first-line drugs including linezolid (LZD). To investigate the TZD resistance mechanisms in MAB, we isolated 23 TZD-resistant MAB mutants and performed whole-genome sequencing (WGS) to identify resistance-associated genes. Frequent mutations were identified in MAB_2885, encoding a putative TetR transcriptional regulator, and MAB_2303, encoding a putative mycobacterial membrane protein large (MmpL). Drug susceptibility testing confirmed that MAB_2885 mutations contribute to both TZD and LZD resistance in MAB. RNA-seq analysis revealed that restoring wild-type MAB_2885 in mutants downregulated the MAB_2302-MAB_2303. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) showed the MAB_2885 protein binds to its target sequence upstream of MAB_2302-MAB_2303, further confirming their regulatory relationship. The W91R mutation in the MAB_2885 protein was found to impair its DNA-binding activity compared to the wild-type. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis confirmed that MAB_2302-MAB_2303 functions as a TZD efflux pump. Additionally, overexpression of MAB_2885 in M. abscessus subsp. bolletii and M. abscessus subsp. massiliense also increased their TZD susceptibility and downregulated their respective MmpS-MmpL orthologs. Overall, our study demonstrates that mutations in MAB_ 2885 contribute to TZD and LZD resistance by disrupting the negative regulation of the downstream MAB_2302-MAB_2303, which functions as a direct efflux pump for TZD. These findings provide new insights into oxazolidinone resistance mechanisms in MAB and identify potential biomarkers for detecting drug resistance.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1013190
spellingShingle Huiyun Zhang
Shiyong Wang
Yu Zhang
Wenya Hua
Siran Lin
Xinchang Chen
Tao Xu
Jiazhen Chen
Wenhong Zhang
Mutations in the transcriptional regulator MAB_2885 confer tedizolid and linezolid resistance through the MmpS-MmpL efflux pump MAB_2302-MAB_2303 in Mycobacterium abscessus.
PLoS Pathogens
title Mutations in the transcriptional regulator MAB_2885 confer tedizolid and linezolid resistance through the MmpS-MmpL efflux pump MAB_2302-MAB_2303 in Mycobacterium abscessus.
title_full Mutations in the transcriptional regulator MAB_2885 confer tedizolid and linezolid resistance through the MmpS-MmpL efflux pump MAB_2302-MAB_2303 in Mycobacterium abscessus.
title_fullStr Mutations in the transcriptional regulator MAB_2885 confer tedizolid and linezolid resistance through the MmpS-MmpL efflux pump MAB_2302-MAB_2303 in Mycobacterium abscessus.
title_full_unstemmed Mutations in the transcriptional regulator MAB_2885 confer tedizolid and linezolid resistance through the MmpS-MmpL efflux pump MAB_2302-MAB_2303 in Mycobacterium abscessus.
title_short Mutations in the transcriptional regulator MAB_2885 confer tedizolid and linezolid resistance through the MmpS-MmpL efflux pump MAB_2302-MAB_2303 in Mycobacterium abscessus.
title_sort mutations in the transcriptional regulator mab 2885 confer tedizolid and linezolid resistance through the mmps mmpl efflux pump mab 2302 mab 2303 in mycobacterium abscessus
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1013190
work_keys_str_mv AT huiyunzhang mutationsinthetranscriptionalregulatormab2885confertedizolidandlinezolidresistancethroughthemmpsmmpleffluxpumpmab2302mab2303inmycobacteriumabscessus
AT shiyongwang mutationsinthetranscriptionalregulatormab2885confertedizolidandlinezolidresistancethroughthemmpsmmpleffluxpumpmab2302mab2303inmycobacteriumabscessus
AT yuzhang mutationsinthetranscriptionalregulatormab2885confertedizolidandlinezolidresistancethroughthemmpsmmpleffluxpumpmab2302mab2303inmycobacteriumabscessus
AT wenyahua mutationsinthetranscriptionalregulatormab2885confertedizolidandlinezolidresistancethroughthemmpsmmpleffluxpumpmab2302mab2303inmycobacteriumabscessus
AT siranlin mutationsinthetranscriptionalregulatormab2885confertedizolidandlinezolidresistancethroughthemmpsmmpleffluxpumpmab2302mab2303inmycobacteriumabscessus
AT xinchangchen mutationsinthetranscriptionalregulatormab2885confertedizolidandlinezolidresistancethroughthemmpsmmpleffluxpumpmab2302mab2303inmycobacteriumabscessus
AT taoxu mutationsinthetranscriptionalregulatormab2885confertedizolidandlinezolidresistancethroughthemmpsmmpleffluxpumpmab2302mab2303inmycobacteriumabscessus
AT jiazhenchen mutationsinthetranscriptionalregulatormab2885confertedizolidandlinezolidresistancethroughthemmpsmmpleffluxpumpmab2302mab2303inmycobacteriumabscessus
AT wenhongzhang mutationsinthetranscriptionalregulatormab2885confertedizolidandlinezolidresistancethroughthemmpsmmpleffluxpumpmab2302mab2303inmycobacteriumabscessus