Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41436006›Full record

ArticleJournal of advanced research2026

A genome-wide CRISPRi screen identifies homologous recombination pathway as potential target for broad-spectrum antibiotic adjuvants.

Haijie Zhang, Bo Chen, Lina Gu, Chenlong Wang, Lei Xu, Xinyuan Ji, Jie Wang, Zhiqiang Wang, Xia Xiao, Yuan Liu

Abstract read
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Article in Journal of advanced research, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Haijie ZhangJoint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China.
Bo ChenJiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China.
Lina GuJiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China.
Chenlong WangJiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China.
Lei XuJiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China.
Xinyuan JiJiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China.
Jie WangJiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China.
Zhiqiang WangJiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Institute of Comparative Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China. Electronic address: zqwang@yzu.edu.cn.
Xia XiaoJiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China. Electronic address: xiaoxia@yzu.edu.cn.
Yuan LiuJiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Institute of Comparative Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China. Electronic address: liuyuan2018@yzu.edu.cn.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionThe widespread misuse and overuse of antibiotics have driven the emergence of multidrug-resistant and pan drug-resistant bacteria, constituting a formidable global health threat. Antibiotic adjuvants that potentiate the efficacy of existing antibiotics represent a particularly promising avenue to address this challenge.

methodsWe performed a genome-wide CRISPR interference (CRISPRi) screening to identify potential targets for broad-spectrum antibiotic adjuvants, which highlighted the homologous recombination pathway as a promising candidate. To functionally validate this pathway, we employed three strategies to suppress the expression and function of recA, a key component of homologous recombination, including a CRISPRi system delivered via transconjugation, a RecX-derived peptide (RecX-20) fused to a cell-penetrating motif, and a small-molecule inhibitor cisplatin validated by surface plasmon resonance.

resultsDisruption of the homologous recombination pathway not only significantly increased bacterial susceptibility to multiple classes of antibiotics, including quinolones, β-lactams, aminoglycosides, and nitrofurantoin, but also reduced horizontal gene transfer of antibiotic resistance. In addition, recA deficiency resulted in a cascade of physiological disruptions, including membrane damage, efflux pump dysfunction, oxidative stress imbalance and metabolic disruption. All three recA-targeting strategies enhanced the antibacterial activity, with cisplatin exhibiting the most pronounced potentiating effect both in vitro and in vivo.

conclusionsThis study reveals that the homologous recombination pathway, particularly RecA, is a viable target for the development of broad-spectrum antibiotic adjuvant. Our findings provide mechanistic insights and practical strategies to restore the effectiveness of existing antibiotics and address the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance.

Indexed as

Anti-Bacterial AgentsCRISPR-Cas SystemsHomologous RecombinationCisplatinEscherichia coliEscherichia coli ProteinsGenome, BacterialMicrobial Sensitivity TestsRec A RecombinasesAnti-Bacterial AgentsCisplatinEscherichia coli ProteinsRec A RecombinasesAntibioticBroad-spectrum antibiotic adjuvantCisplatinCRISPR interferenceHomologous recombination pathway

Identifiers

PMID41436006
PMCPMC13539159

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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.