Discovery and Function of a General Core Hormetic Stress Response in E. coli Induced by Sublethal Concentrations of Antibiotics.
A better understanding of the impact of antibiotics on bacteria is required to increase the efficiency of antibiotic treatments and to slow the emergence of resistance. Using Escherichia coli, we examined how bacteria exposed to sublethal concentrations of ampicillin adjust gene expression patterns and metabolism to simultaneously deal with the antibiotic-induced damage and maintain rapid growth. We found that the treated cells increased energy production, as well as translation and macromolecular repair and protection. These responses are adaptive, because they confer increased survival not only to lethal ampicillin treatment but also to non-antibiotic lethal stresses. This robustness is modulated by nutrient availability. Because different antibiotics and other stressors induce the same set of responses, we propose that it constitutes a general core hormetic stress response. It is plausible that this response plays an important role in the robustness of bacteria exposed to antibiotic treatments and constant environmental fluctuations in natural environments.
Inserm Unit 1001, Faculté de Médecine Paris Descartes, Université Paris-Descartes-Sorbonne Paris Cité, 75014 Paris, France.
Aurélie
A
Mathieu
Inserm Unit 1001, Faculté de Médecine Paris Descartes, Université Paris-Descartes-Sorbonne Paris Cité, 75014 Paris, France.
Sébastien
S
Fleurier
Inserm Unit 1001, Faculté de Médecine Paris Descartes, Université Paris-Descartes-Sorbonne Paris Cité, 75014 Paris, France.
Antoine
A
Frénoy
UMR 8601 CNRS, Laboratoire de Chimie et Biochimie Pharmacologiques et Toxicologiques, Université Paris Descartes-Sorbonne Paris Cité, 75270 Paris, France.
Julien
J
Dairou
Inserm Unit 1001, Faculté de Médecine Paris Descartes, Université Paris-Descartes-Sorbonne Paris Cité, 75014 Paris, France.
Marie-Florence
MF
Bredeche
Inserm Unit 1001, Faculté de Médecine Paris Descartes, Université Paris-Descartes-Sorbonne Paris Cité, 75014 Paris, France.
Pilar
P
Sanchez-Vizuete
Inserm Unit 1001, Faculté de Médecine Paris Descartes, Université Paris-Descartes-Sorbonne Paris Cité, 75014 Paris, France.
Xiaohu
X
Song
Inserm Unit 1001, Faculté de Médecine Paris Descartes, Université Paris-Descartes-Sorbonne Paris Cité, 75014 Paris, France; Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 75016 Paris, France. Electronic address: ivan.matic@inserm.fr.
Ivan
I
Matic
D000222:Adaptation, Physiological / Q000235:genetics*; D000477:Alkylating Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D000667:Ampicillin / Q000494:pharmacology; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents / Q000494:pharmacology; D004260:DNA Repair / Q000187:drug effects; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D059165:Hormesis / Q000235:genetics*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D016877:Oxidants / Q000494:pharmacology; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D020543:Proteome / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000235:genetics
D000477:Alkylating Agents; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D016877:Oxidants; D020543:Proteome; D000667:Ampicillin
Escherichia coli; RpoS; antibiotics; energy metabolism; general stress response; hormetic stress response; ppGpp; stringent response; sublethal stress; translation