Trainee Presentation: Metabolomic investigation of the human microbiome as a source of inhibitory small molecules against Klebsiella pathogenesis

Hannah Kim - University of Michigan, USA

12:00 - 12:15 Thursday 19 February Morning

+ Add to Calendar

Abstract

Klebsiella spp. are opportunistic pathogens well known for their rapid and robust development of antimicrobial resistance. Consequently, the production of strains resistant to carbapenems, a class of last-resort antibiotics, and multiple drug resistant (MDR) strains generate a need for novel broadly effective therapeutics with new mechanisms of action. Because successful Klebsiella infection typically occurs during dysbiosis, the myriad microbial interactions and chemical communications governing a healthy human gut microbiome are likely significant mediators of Klebsiella levels and pathogenicity in the gastrointestinal tract. As such, the gut microbiome serves as a promising avenue of exploration in Klebsiella treatment research. To investigate this therapeutic potential, anaerobic competition and induction experiments were conducted and subsequently analyzed for bacterial viability in conjunction with mass spectrometry-based metabolomics. A clinically isolated strain of Klebsiella oxytoca was shown to substantially reduce growth of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae in these biological assays. Moreover, these bioactive samples display distinct metabolomic profiles, indicating potential antimicrobial metabolites of interest. Future assays will determine which metabolites possess inhibitory activity, while further competition assays conducted with human fecal samples will investigate the diverse dynamics and metabolomic output of human gut microbiome interactions. Ultimately, this work will help to further elucidate the mechanisms that mediate a true healthy microbiome and provide a potential solution for antimicrobial resistance in Klebsiella.

More sessions on Registration