Discussion Week2

Acinetobacter baumannii is a gram-negative bacterium commonly found in soil and water.
This bacterium is also frequently associated with nosocomial infections, diseases patients
acquire while they are in a hospital. A. baumannii tends to thrive in hospital settings because
the bacterium is resistant to environmental influences and can survive for months on such
objects as faucets, toilets, bedclothes, doorknobs, sinks, and medical equipment. The spread
of this bacterium is a concern for all medical facilities, but especially military ones, which
have seen increasing numbers of bloodstream infections caused by A. baumannii, probably
because combat conditions make controlling and treating them more difficult.
Additionally, A. baumannii infections have become problematic because increasing numbers

of isolates show multiple drug resistance—that is, the bacteria are unfazed by the antibiotics
commonly used to treat them. Many of the resistance genes found in A. baumannii are
similar or identical to those seen in other genera of bacteria, such as Pseudomonas,
Salmonella, and Escherichia, which also commonly occur in healthcare facilities.
- How might genes, such as those responsible for drug resistance, be transferred
between bacterial species?
- Where could A. baumannii likely have acquired the genes for drug resistance?
Nowadays, with the development of science, especially in medical field. Many types of
antibiotics are produced. They have an important role in treatment, particularly with
infectious disease. But, there is a big problem, it is antibiotic resistance. An antibiotic which
is very good to kill bacteria but now these bacteria still can survive although this antibiotic is
used. That means there are some new genes which help the bacteria have the ability to
defeat the antibiotic. And many of the resistance genes found in one bacterium are identical
to those seen in other genera of bacterial. Bacterial have an ability which is called horizontal
gene transfer. Plasmid can carry some genes, it is the vector which can transfer the gene
from bacterial to bacterial, in the same species or different species. There are three mains
mechanisms: transformation-two bacterial can pair up and connect through the membrane
and transfer the genetic materials, transduction- a virus infect a bacterium and take its gene,
then infect and bring the gene to other bacterium, transformation- some bacteria can take
the genetic materials in the environment around them.
A. baumannii can take the gene for drug resistance in a place that contains many species of
bacterial, or virus. That is hospital, there are many bacterial which have the gene for drug
resistance. And the genes for drug resistance can be transfer from these bacterial to A.
baumannii.
Ref: https://www.reactgroup.org/toolbox/understand/antibiotic-resistance/transfer-of-antibiotic-
resistance/
https://amrls.cvm.msu.edu/microbiology/molecular-basis-for-antimicrobial-resistance/acquired-
resistance/acquisition-of-antimicrobial-resistance-via-horizontal-gene-transfer
Horizontal gene transfer, or the process of swapping genetic material between neighboring
“contemporary” bacteria, is another means by which resistance can be acquired. Many of
the antibiotic resistance genes are carried on plasmids, transposons or integrons that can
act as vectors that transfer these genes to other members of the same bacteria species, as
well as to bacteria in another genus or species. Horizontal gene transfer may occur via
three main mechanisms: transformation-two bacterial can pair up and connect through the
membrane and transfer the genetic materials, transduction- a virus infect a bacterium and
take its gene, then infect and bring the gene to other bacterium.
Transformation involves uptake of short fragments of naked DNA by naturally transformable

bacteria. Transduction involves transfer of DNA from one bacterium into another via
bacteriophages. Conjugation involves transfer of DNA via sexual pilus and requires cell –to-
cell contact. DNA fragments that contain resistance genes from resistant donors can then
make previously susceptible bacteria express resistance as coded by these newly acquired
resistance genes.

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Acinetobacter baumannii is a gram-negative bacterium commonly found in soil and water.

Additionally, A. baumannii infections have become problematic because increasing numbers

Transformation involves uptake of short fragments of naked DNA by naturally transformable

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