Enhanced fatty acid biosynthesis by Sigma28 in stringent responses contributes to multidrug resistance and biofilm formation in Helicobacter pylori .

The metabolic state of bacteria significantly contributes to their resistance to antibiotics; however, the specific metabolic mechanisms conferring antimicrobial resistance in Helicobacter pylori remain largely understudied. Employing transcriptomic and non-targeted metabolomics, we characterized the metabolic reprogramming of H. pylori when challenged with antibiotic agents. We observed a notable increase in both genetic and key proteomic components involved in fatty acid biosynthesis. Inhibition of this pathway significantly enhanced the antibiotic susceptibility of the sensitive and multidrug-resistant H. pylori strains while also disrupting their biofilm-forming capacities. Further analysis revealed that antibiotic treatment induced a stringent response, triggering the expression of the hp0560-hp0557 operon regulated by Sigma28 (σ 28 ). This activation in turn stimulated the fatty acid biosynthetic pathway, thereby enhancing the antibiotic tolerance of H. pylori . Our findings reveal a novel adaptive strategy employed by H. pylori to withstand antibiotic stress.