De novo mutations mediate phenotypic switching in an opportunistic human lung pathogen
Alexandra J. Poret, Matthew Schaefers, Christina Merakou, Kathryn E. Mansour, Georgia K. Lagoudas, Ashley R. Cross, Joanna B. Goldberg, Roy Kishony, Ahmet Z. Uluer, Alexander J. McAdam, Paul C. Blainey, Sara O. Vargas, Tami D. Lieberman, Gregory P. Priebe
This study shows that de novo mutations in Burkholderia dolosa cause phenotypic switching, with O-antigen loss increasing immune cell uptake but reducing lung competitiveness, depending on infection duration and tissue localization.
bioRxiv · Feb 6, 2024 · PreprintMicrobiology