Following their initial discovery in the 1940s, polymyxin antibiotics fell into disfavor due to
their potential clinical toxicity, especially nephrotoxicity. However, the dry antibiotic …

Polymyxins have recently been re-introduced into the therapeutic arsenal to combat
infections caused by multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria. However, the emergence …

Background Until now, polymyxin resistance has involved chromosomal mutations but has
never been reported via horizontal gene transfer. During a routine surveillance project on …

Cellulose is a major contributor to the chemical and mechanical properties of plants and
assumes structural roles in bacterial communities termed biofilms. We find that Escherichia …

Background Mobile colistin resistance (mcr) genes modify Lipid A molecules of the
lipopolysaccharide, changing the overall charge of the outer membrane. Results and …

The polymixin colistin is a “last line” antibiotic against extensively-resistant Gram-negative
bacteria. Recently, the mcr-1 gene was identified as a plasmid-mediated resistance …

Multidrug-resistant (MDR) gram-negative bacteria have increased the prevalence of fatal
sepsis in modern times. Colistin is a cationic antimicrobial peptide (CAMP) antibiotic that …

Background Due to the paucity of novel antibiotics, colistin has become a last resort
antibiotic for treating multidrug resistant bacteria. Colistin acts by binding the lipid A …

Highlights•MCR-1 is a phosphoethanolamine transferase that causes polymyxin resistance,
an alarming global antibiotic resistance threat.•Zinc ions are critical for MCR-1 function but …

Lipopolysaccharides (LPS) are an integral part of the outer membrane of Gram-negative
bacteria and play essential structural and functional roles in maintaining membrane integrity …