Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41118418›Full record

ArticlePLoS pathogens2025

Disruption of undecaprenyl phosphate recycling suppresses ampC beta-lactamase induction in Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Karina Klycheva, Joël Gyger, Mélissa Frund, Gabriel Torrens, Felipe Cava, Coralie Fumeaux

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PLoS pathogens, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. ThemBio · 2026
    Article
  3. Antibiotic resistance inFrontiers in microbiology · 2026
    Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Karina KlychevaInstitute of Microbiology, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
Joël GygerInstitute of Microbiology, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
Mélissa FrundInstitute of Microbiology, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
Gabriel TorrensDepartment of Molecular Biology and Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden, Umeå Centre for Microbial Research, SciLifeLab, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
Felipe CavaDepartment of Molecular Biology and Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden, Umeå Centre for Microbial Research, SciLifeLab, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
Coralie FumeauxInstitute of Microbiology, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.ORCID 0000-0002-6969-3111

Funding

Kempe FoundationKnut and Alice Wallenberg FoundationPierre Mercier Foundation for ScienceSwedish Research CouncilSwiss Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFCH)Swiss National Science FoundationThe Laboratory of Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS)
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Beta-lactam antibiotics are widely used to treat bacterial infections, but their efficacy is compromised by resistance mechanisms such as the production of beta-lactamases. In Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the chromosomally encoded beta-lactamase AmpC is the primary mediator of beta-lactam resistance. ampC expression is regulated by the transcription factor AmpR, which responds to intracellular peptidoglycan (PG) fragments. Under normal conditions, AmpR binds the PG precursor (UDP-MurNAc-pentapeptide) and represses ampC expression. However, during beta-lactam treatment or in PG recycling-deficient mutants such as ampD mutants, PG degradation products (anhydromuropeptides) accumulate and activate AmpR, resulting in elevated ampC expression and beta-lactam resistance. We hypothesized that shifting the balance of PG precursors could modulate AmpR activity and suppress beta-lactamase expression, even in derepressed strains. Undecaprenyl phosphate (UndP) is a lipid carrier essential for translocating PG precursors across the bacterial inner membrane. Recent work has identified members of the DedA superfamily as UndP flippases responsible for recycling this lipid carrier. Disruption of UndP recycling leads to cytoplasmic accumulation of UDP-MurNAc-pentapeptide, the known AmpR repressor. Here, we show that deletion of dedA4, which encodes a predicted UndP flippase in P. aeruginosa, causes PG precursors accumulation and significantly reduces AmpC production and beta-lactam resistance in an ampD mutant. These findings highlight the influence of PG precursor dynamics on beta-lactamase regulation and identify DedA4 as a promising therapeutic target. Inhibiting UndP recycling offers a novel strategy to counteract beta-lactam resistance in P. aeruginosa and potentially other AmpC-producing pathogens.

Indexed as

Bacterial Proteinsbeta-LactamasesPseudomonas aeruginosaAnti-Bacterial Agentsbeta-Lactam ResistanceGene Expression Regulation, BacterialPeptidoglycanAmpC beta-lactamasesAmpR protein, BacteriaAnti-Bacterial AgentsBacterial Proteinsbeta-LactamasesPeptidoglycan

Identifiers

PMID41118418
PMCPMC12561984

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.