Transcriptomic and Functional Approaches Unveil the Role of tmRNA in Zinc Acetate Mediated Levofloxacin Sensitivity in Helicobacter pylori

• Published in: Microbiology spectrum 2022-12, Vol.10 (6), p.e0115222-e0115222
• Main Authors: Tao, Hongjin, Meng, Fansen, Zhou, Yu, Fan, Jiao, Liu, Jing, Han, Yingjie, Sun, Benjamin B, Wang, Gangshi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology; Anti-Bacterial Agents - therapeutic use; Bacteriology; Clarithromycin - pharmacology; Drug Resistance, Bacterial - genetics; Helicobacter Infections - drug therapy; Helicobacter pylori; Helicobacter pylori - genetics; Humans; Levofloxacin - pharmacology; levofloxacin resistance; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Research Article; ssrA; Transcriptome; transcriptomics; zinc acetate; Zinc Acetate - pharmacology
• ISSN: 2165-0497; 2165-0497
• DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01152-22

Rapid increase in resistance of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) has hindered antibiotics-based eradication efforts worldwide and raises the need for additional approaches. Here, we investigate the role of zinc-based compounds in inhibiting H. pylori growth and modulating antibiotic sensitivities, interrogate their downstream transcriptomic changes, and highlight the potential mechanism driving the observed effects. We showed that zinc acetate inhibited H. pylori growth and increased H. pylori sensitivity to levofloxacin. Transcriptomic profiling showed distinct gene expression patterns between zinc acetate treated groups controls. In particular, we independently replicated the association between zinc acetate treatment and increased expression. Knockdown of restored levofloxacin resistance to levels of the control group. In this study, we first demonstrated the role of zinc acetate in H. pylori growth and antibiotic sensitivities. Additionally, we explored the transcriptomic perturbations of zinc acetate followed by functional knockdown follow-up of differentially expressed , highlighting the role of tmRNA and trans-translation in H. pylori levofloxacin resistance. Our results provide alternative and complementary strategies for H. pylori treatment and shed light on the underlying mechanisms driving these effects. Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) eradication plays an important role in gastric cancer prevention, but the antimicrobial resistance of H. pylori is fast becoming a growing concern. In this study, we investigated the role of zinc acetate in inhibiting H. pylori growth and modulating antibiotic sensitivities . Additionally, we explored the transcriptomic perturbations of zinc acetate followed by functional knockdown follow-up of differentially expressed , highlighting the role of tmRNA and trans-translation in H. pylori levofloxacin resistance. Our results open up a new horizon for the treatment of antibiotic-resistant H. pylori.