Understanding type VI secretion system effector activity and delivery in Acinetobacter baumannii

Acinetobacter baumannii is a bacterium that causes severe infections in hospitals. Increasingly, people are not getting the treatment they need, because this bacterium can be resistant to all known antibiotics. We were interested in studying the type VI secretion system, which is a weapon that bacteria use to kill other bacteria. This weapon resembles a bow that can shoot out poison arrows. We believe that understanding how this bow works and the different types of poisons it delivers could be useful for developing new drugs and overcoming antibiotic resistance.