Thank you!

Congratulations!!!

I think about you often - we should do an e-coffee some time!

Looking forward to reading! The link isn't working for me (not sure if it's my computer) but you may want to check it. I could access it here: journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...

5/ We identified a highly conserved (99.9%) ARG box in the rmp promoter. Mutating the ARG box eliminates ArgR binding to the rmp promoter and results is loss of hvKp mucoidy. We validated that arginine- and ARG box-dependent control of mucoidy occurs in 4 other hvKp isolates.

4/ Loss of ArgR reduces bacterial adherence to macrophages and decreases fitness in a murine pneumonia model. Notably, there are high levels of arginine in lung tissue. Also, human serum has higher levels of arginine than urine and we observe higher mucoidy in serum, which requires ArgR.

3/ The ArgR transcriptional regulator responds to arginine and positively regulates the rmp locus (regulator of mucoid phenotype). This induces the longer, more uniform capsular polysaccharides responsible for the mucoid phenotype.

2/ We used defined media with individual amino acids absent to identify that arginine is required for hvKp mucoidy. Arginine was the only amino acid sufficient to stimulate mucoidy.

1/ Many wonderful colleagues contributed to this study:
@brookeeryan3.bsky.social lead the charge
@caityholmes.bsky.social
Drew Stark
@graceeshepard.bsky.social
@emmamills1.bsky.social
@microbiosaroj.bsky.social
@dariavantyne.bsky.social
Mike Bachman