Co-culture confrontation assays of Staphylococcus epidermidis vs. multi-drug resistance organisms. transcriptome

The overall objective of this study is to identify and characterize factors that influence virulence (including antibiotic resistance, and biofilm formation) in multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs). This objective was accomplished through experiments focusing on the regulatory responses of both target and challenger organisms in bacterial-bacterial interactions likely to occur in the wound environment. Deep next-generation cDNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) was used as a tool to dissect the regulatory networks altered during these organismal-level confrontations. Challenges associated with this bioproject include MDROs versus human microbiome (commensal) organisms. The research outcome may lead to novel treatment of combat wound infections in the future. This project was carried out in collaboration with the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research Multidrug-resistant Organism Repository and Surveillance Network (WRAIR MRSN), who provided isolates of highest clinical importance collected from the military health care system.