Impact of low-intensity 463 nm blue light on proliferation and adaptive mutation of Escherichia coli DH5α cells
Abstract The growth rate of many microorganisms decreases when exposed to blue light (BL) at around 450 nm. This growth retardation is likely caused by the photosensitivity of endogenous photosensitizers, flavins, which absorb BL and generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) that cause inactivation and...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-07-01
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-06596-4 |
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| author | Nagomi Matsumoto Osamu Hisatomi |
| author_facet | Nagomi Matsumoto Osamu Hisatomi |
| author_sort | Nagomi Matsumoto |
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| description | Abstract The growth rate of many microorganisms decreases when exposed to blue light (BL) at around 450 nm. This growth retardation is likely caused by the photosensitivity of endogenous photosensitizers, flavins, which absorb BL and generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) that cause inactivation and mutations of microorganisms. In this study, the effect of weak (0–0.12 mW/cm2) 463 nm BL on E. coli (DH5α) cell proliferation was investigated. Surprisingly, BL of only 0.03 mW/cm2 reduced the DH5α colony number by 52%, and about 5% of cells (BL-resistant cells) formed colonies under 0.1 mW/cm2 BL. Five-generation subculturing suggested that the BL-resistant cells underwent mutation(s) and adapted to grow under a BL environment. Fewer superoxide anion radicals were generated by BL irradiation in BL-resistant cells than in control DH5α cells because of the lower amount of intracellular flavins in BL-resistant cells. Our data suggest that the main photosensitizer of 463 nm BL is flavins, and ROS generated by BL-activated flavins induces inactivation and mutation(s) of DH5α cells. BL-resistant mutant cells with low amounts of intracellular flavins may reproducibly be generated by mutation(s) and preferentially proliferate under BL conditions. |
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| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
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| spelling | doaj-art-3a71eb5f5e5c435c97cab3e8edfd9fa82025-08-20T03:45:30ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-07-011511810.1038/s41598-025-06596-4Impact of low-intensity 463 nm blue light on proliferation and adaptive mutation of Escherichia coli DH5α cellsNagomi Matsumoto0Osamu Hisatomi1Department of Earth and Space Science, Graduate School of Science, Osaka UniversityDepartment of Earth and Space Science, Graduate School of Science, Osaka UniversityAbstract The growth rate of many microorganisms decreases when exposed to blue light (BL) at around 450 nm. This growth retardation is likely caused by the photosensitivity of endogenous photosensitizers, flavins, which absorb BL and generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) that cause inactivation and mutations of microorganisms. In this study, the effect of weak (0–0.12 mW/cm2) 463 nm BL on E. coli (DH5α) cell proliferation was investigated. Surprisingly, BL of only 0.03 mW/cm2 reduced the DH5α colony number by 52%, and about 5% of cells (BL-resistant cells) formed colonies under 0.1 mW/cm2 BL. Five-generation subculturing suggested that the BL-resistant cells underwent mutation(s) and adapted to grow under a BL environment. Fewer superoxide anion radicals were generated by BL irradiation in BL-resistant cells than in control DH5α cells because of the lower amount of intracellular flavins in BL-resistant cells. Our data suggest that the main photosensitizer of 463 nm BL is flavins, and ROS generated by BL-activated flavins induces inactivation and mutation(s) of DH5α cells. BL-resistant mutant cells with low amounts of intracellular flavins may reproducibly be generated by mutation(s) and preferentially proliferate under BL conditions.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-06596-4Blue lightE. coli (DH5α)FlavinsReactive oxygen species (ROS)Stress-induced adaptive mutation |
| spellingShingle | Nagomi Matsumoto Osamu Hisatomi Impact of low-intensity 463 nm blue light on proliferation and adaptive mutation of Escherichia coli DH5α cells Scientific Reports Blue light E. coli (DH5α) Flavins Reactive oxygen species (ROS) Stress-induced adaptive mutation |
| title | Impact of low-intensity 463 nm blue light on proliferation and adaptive mutation of Escherichia coli DH5α cells |
| title_full | Impact of low-intensity 463 nm blue light on proliferation and adaptive mutation of Escherichia coli DH5α cells |
| title_fullStr | Impact of low-intensity 463 nm blue light on proliferation and adaptive mutation of Escherichia coli DH5α cells |
| title_full_unstemmed | Impact of low-intensity 463 nm blue light on proliferation and adaptive mutation of Escherichia coli DH5α cells |
| title_short | Impact of low-intensity 463 nm blue light on proliferation and adaptive mutation of Escherichia coli DH5α cells |
| title_sort | impact of low intensity 463 nm blue light on proliferation and adaptive mutation of escherichia coli dh5α cells |
| topic | Blue light E. coli (DH5α) Flavins Reactive oxygen species (ROS) Stress-induced adaptive mutation |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-06596-4 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT nagomimatsumoto impactoflowintensity463nmbluelightonproliferationandadaptivemutationofescherichiacolidh5acells AT osamuhisatomi impactoflowintensity463nmbluelightonproliferationandadaptivemutationofescherichiacolidh5acells |