Genetic basis of laboratory adaptation in Acinetobacter baumannii

Acinetobacter baumannii is an opportunistic bacterial pathogen that can become a persistent contaminant in the healthcare environment. However, after extended culture in the laboratory some strains of A. baumannii lose the ability to survive on dry surfaces. The goal of this project is to identify the genetic changes that occur in these drying-sensitive variants, which will provide a greater understanding of how these bacteria can survive in the clinical setting.