Rapid acquisition of Gigapascal-high-pressure resistance by Escherichia coli.
Pressure and temperature are important environmental variables that influence living systems. However, while they vary over a considerable range on Earth and other planets, it has hardly been addressed how straightforwardly and to what extent cellular life can acquire resistance to extremes of these parameters within a defined genomic context and a limited number of generations. Nevertheless, this is a very pertinent question with respect to the penetration of life in allegedly inhospitable environments. In this study, directed evolution was used to reveal the potential of the nonsporulating and mesophilic model bacterium Escherichia coli to develop the ability to survive exposure to high temperature or pressure. While heat resistance could only marginally be increased, our data show that piezoresistance could readily and reproducibly be extended into the GPa range, thereby greatly exceeding the currently recognized maximum for growth or survival.
Laboratory of Food Microbiology and Leuven Food Science and Nutrition Research Centre (LFoRCe), Department of Microbial and Molecular Systems (M²S), Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Dietrich
D
Vanlint
Rachael
R
Mitchell
Edward
E
Bailey
Filip
F
Meersman
Paul F
PF
McMillan
Chris W
CW
Michiels
Abram
A
Aertsen
D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D005075:Biological Evolution; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D006358:Hot Temperature; D050296:Microbial Viability; D011312:Pressure
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