L-Arabinose Alters the <i>E. coli</i> Transcriptome to Favor Biofilm Growth and Enhances Survival During Fluoroquinolone Stress
Environmental conditions, including nutrient composition and temperature, influence biofilm formation and antibiotic resistance in <i>Escherichia coli</i>. Understanding how specific metabolites modulate these processes is critical for improving antimicrobial strategies. Here, we investi...
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| Autori principali: | , , , , |
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| Natura: | Articolo |
| Lingua: | inglese |
| Pubblicazione: |
MDPI AG
2025-07-01
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| Serie: | Microorganisms |
| Soggetti: | |
| Accesso online: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/13/7/1665 |
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| Riassunto: | Environmental conditions, including nutrient composition and temperature, influence biofilm formation and antibiotic resistance in <i>Escherichia coli</i>. Understanding how specific metabolites modulate these processes is critical for improving antimicrobial strategies. Here, we investigated the growth and composition of <i>Escherichia coli</i> in both planktonic and biofilm states in the presence of L-arabinose, with and without exposure to the fluoroquinolone antibiotic levofloxacin, at two temperatures: 28 and 37 °C. At both temperatures, L-arabinose increased the growth rate of planktonic <i>E. coli</i> but resulted in reduced total growth; concurrently, it enhanced biofilm growth at 37 °C. L-arabinose reduced the efficacy of levofloxacin and promoted growth in sub-minimum inhibitory concentrations (25 ng/mL). Transcriptomic analyses provided insight into the molecular basis of arabinose-mediated reduced susceptibility of <i>E. coli</i> to levofloxacin. We found that L-arabinose had a temperature- and state-dependent impact on the transcriptome. Using gene ontology overrepresentation analyses, we found that L-arabinose modulated the expression of many critical antibiotic resistance genes, including efflux pumps (<i>ydeA</i>, <i>mdtH</i>, <i>mdtM</i>), transporters (<i>proVWX</i>), and biofilm-related genes for external structures like pili (<i>fimA</i>) and curli (<i>csgA</i>, <i>csgB</i>). This study demonstrates a previously uncharacterized role for L-arabinose in modulating antibiotic resistance and biofilm-associated gene expression in <i>E. coli</i> and provides a foundation for additional exploration of sugar-mediated antibiotic sensitivity in bacterial biofilms. |
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| ISSN: | 2076-2607 |