16S rRNA methyltransferase KsgA contributes to oxidative stress and antibiotic resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Ribosomal RNA (rRNA) modifications are involved in multiple biological processes. KsgA is a 16S rRNA adenine dimethyltransferase that methylates at the adenines 1518 and 1519 (A1518/1519) positions, which are located near the ribosome decoding center. These methylations are conserved and important for ribosome biogenesis and protein translation. In this study, we demonstrated the absence of A1518/1519 methylation in the 16S rRNA of a Pseudomonas aeruginosa ksgA mutant. Biolog phenotypic microarrays were used to screen the phenotypes of the ksgA mutant against various antimicrobial agents. The loss of ksgA led to increased sensitivity to menadione, a superoxide generator, which was, at least in part, attributed to decreased in a superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. Interestingly, the decrease in SOD activity in the ksgA mutant was linked to a decrease in the SodM protein levels, but not the sodM mRNA levels. Furthermore, the ksgA mutant strain exhibited sensitivity to hygromycin B and tylosin antibiotics. The tylosin-sensitive phenotype was correlated with decreased transcriptional levels of tufA, tufB, and tsf, which encode elongation factors. Additionally, the ksgA mutant showed resistance to kasugamycin. Collectively, these findings highlight the role of KsgA in oxidative stress responses and antibiotic sensitivity in P. aeruginosa.