The H-NS regulator plays a role in the stress induced by carbapenemase expression in Acinetobacter baumannii

Disruption of the histone-like nucleoid structuring protein (H-NS) was shown to affect the ability for Gram-negative bacteria to regulate genes associated with virulence, persistence, stress response, quorum sensing, biosynthesis pathways and cell adhesion. Here, we used the expression of metallo-β-lactamases (MBLs) known to elicit envelope stress by the accumulation of toxic species in the periplasm to interrogate the role of H-NS in Acinetobacter baumannii, together with other stressors. Using a multidrug-resistant A. baumannii, we observed that H-NS plays a role in alleviating the stress triggered by MBL toxic precursors and counteract the effect of DNA-damaging agents, supporting its role in stress response.