The transcriptomic response of Acinetobacter baumannii to colistin and doripenem alone and in combination in an in vitro pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics model. Acinetobacter baumannii ATCC 19606 = CIP 70.34 = JCM 6841

Objectives: Colistin remains a last-line treatment for multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii and combined use of colistin and carbapenems has shown synergistic effects against multidrug-resistant strains. In order to understand the bacterial responses to these antibiotics we analysed the transcriptome of A. baumannii following exposure to each. Overall design: Methods: RNA sequencing was employed to determine changes in the transcriptome following treatment with colistin and doripenem, both alone and in combination, using an in vitro pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics (PK/PD) model to mimic the pharmacokinetics of both antibiotics in patients.