Determining the role of inter-kingdom interactions in the evolution of antimicrobial resistance

Polymicrobial infections consisting of Aspergillus fumigatus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa are associated with poorer patient outcomes and are often much harder to treat.

There are a very limited number of drugs available to treat fungal infections, and both bacterial and fungal resistance is rapidly spreading in environmental and clinical settings.

Determining the effect of inter-kingdom interactions between these pathogens upon the evolution of antimicrobial resistance is vital for the treatment of polymicrobial infections.

Multispecies biofilms caused by coinfection of these two key respiratory pathogens create a physical barrier preventing drug penetration leading to protection from antimicrobial treatment.

However, we understand very little about how competitive interactions within such communities can alter the mutational drivers of resistance or how coexistence changes the pleiotropic fitness costs associated with resistance.

The aim of the project is to understand how coexistence and competition between A. fumigatus and P. aeruginosa alters the rate of resistance evolution in the presence and absence of antimicrobial treatment and how interactions change the fitness landscape of resistant mutants within both species.

Understanding the drivers of resistance in polymicrobial communities may increase our ability to predict resistance evolution and aid the design therapeutic of strategies that limit the emergence of resistance.