Angie Nguyen’s most recent study, demonstrating how iron impacts P. aeruginosa’s interactions with Staphylococcus aureus, was just accepted for publication by Journal of Bacteriology. P. aeruginosa and S. aureus both commonly infect the lungs of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. Less appreciated is the knowledge that S. aureus is much more commonly identified in young CF patients, while P. aeruginosa eventually takes its place. P. aeruginosa produces numerous antimicrobial factors that likely contribute to this shift in microbial populations. How these systems drive changes in the microbial make-up of the CF lung remain poorly understood. Angie’s work demonstrates that iron depletion enhances antimicrobial activity of P. aeruginosa towards S. aureus, indicating iron availability may play a critical role in modulating the microbial make-up of the CF lung. Angie’s study, as well as a separate report on P. aeruginosa interactions with S. aureus, are being featured by the Journal of Bacteriology with an accompanying commentary. Congratulations to Angie and our collaborators on being recognized for their awesome work!!
The Oglesby Lab 