Post-transcriptional regulation of the SOS response in the major human pathogen Klebsie/la pneumoniae

The rapid spread of resistances to antibiotics is threatening global health, and Klebsiella pneumoniae plays a major role in this crisis. In bacteria, the SOS pathway to DNA damage is activated by many antibiotic compounds and promotes survival and the evolution of resistance under antibiotic stress. As the SOS regulon in K. pneumoniae is currently not known, we will catalogue the specific genes involved in the stress response across the whole core and accessory genome of the multidrug-resistant K. pneumoniae isolate MGH 78578. In addition, we recently identified a rich landscape of regulatory RNAs in K. pneumoniae, and now aim to define the species-specific contribution of post-transcriptional regulation to the SOS program. To this end, we will perform transcriptome analyses, map RNA-RNA interactions and dissect the role of individual sRNAs and RNA-binding proteins In response to DNA damage. As disturbances within the SOS response alter the rate of chromosomal mutations in response to DNA damage, we will also assess the relevance of post­transcriptional regulation and the activity of individual sRNAs on the development of antibiotic resistances.

PhD start: 03/01/2026