Genomic Basis of Antibiotic Resistance and Virulence in Acinetobacter

Compared to other bacterial genera, the genus Acinetobacter has only recently (over the last few decades) been brought to the attention of microbiologists. This genus is very diverse yet it has mainly been associated with nosocomial infections. From a clinical point of view, the most well-known species from the genus is Acinetobacter baumannii - a frequent cause of multidrug-resistant infections in Intensive Care Units; however, there are other species that cause infections, such as A. lwofii, A. nosocomialis, A. seifertii and A. pitti. Notably, many species from this genus are environmental but, nonetheless, could be potential reservoirs of not only antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) but also virulence genes. Although much information regarding genomic variation has been gathered for Acinetobacter baumannii (for instance, it is known that this species has high amounts of gene content variation and high rates of homologous recombination), other species from the genus, especially the environmental ones, have received very little attention. Furthermore, in terms of phylogeography and molecular epidemiology hardly anything is known for non-Acinetobacter baumannii species.

The major goal of this Research Topic is to expand the knowledge about the genomic basis of antibiotic resistance and virulence in species from the genus Acinetobacter. We welcome comparative genomic studies about any Acinetobacter spp, especially those paying attention to genomic variation in ARGs and virulence genes. In addition, we also will be interested in articles tackling the epidemiology and phylogeography not only of lineages from within Acinetobacter baumannii but any lineages of other Acinetobacter species. Moreover, population genomic studies addressing genomic variation processes in Acinetobacter species are more than welcome. Finally, comparative transcriptomics/proteomics/metabolomics studies that also address the underlying question of what is responsible for differences and similarities in antibiotic resistance and virulence in Acinetobacter species will be very much appreciated.

Submitted manuscripts should be hypothesis-driven and not only descriptive studies. Brief Research Reports, Data Reports, Genome Announcements, Systematic Reviews, and Case Reports will not undergo the peer-review process.