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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MDPI AG
2025-07-01
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| author | Katherine M. Austin Jenna K. Frizzell Audrey A. Neighmond Isabella J. Moppel Lisa M. Ryno |
| author_facet | Katherine M. Austin Jenna K. Frizzell Audrey A. Neighmond Isabella J. Moppel Lisa M. Ryno |
| author_sort | Katherine M. Austin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | 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. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e69aebfd740e450fa6a07112496040ba |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2076-2607 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Microorganisms |
| spelling | doaj-art-e69aebfd740e450fa6a07112496040ba2025-08-20T03:56:45ZengMDPI AGMicroorganisms2076-26072025-07-01137166510.3390/microorganisms13071665L-Arabinose Alters the <i>E. coli</i> Transcriptome to Favor Biofilm Growth and Enhances Survival During Fluoroquinolone StressKatherine M. Austin0Jenna K. Frizzell1Audrey A. Neighmond2Isabella J. Moppel3Lisa M. Ryno4Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH 44074, USADepartment of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH 44074, USADepartment of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH 44074, USADepartment of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH 44074, USADepartment of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH 44074, USAEnvironmental 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.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/13/7/1665biofilm<i>E. coli</i>fluoroquinolonetranscriptomics |
| spellingShingle | Katherine M. Austin Jenna K. Frizzell Audrey A. Neighmond Isabella J. Moppel Lisa M. Ryno L-Arabinose Alters the <i>E. coli</i> Transcriptome to Favor Biofilm Growth and Enhances Survival During Fluoroquinolone Stress Microorganisms biofilm <i>E. coli</i> fluoroquinolone transcriptomics |
| title | L-Arabinose Alters the <i>E. coli</i> Transcriptome to Favor Biofilm Growth and Enhances Survival During Fluoroquinolone Stress |
| title_full | L-Arabinose Alters the <i>E. coli</i> Transcriptome to Favor Biofilm Growth and Enhances Survival During Fluoroquinolone Stress |
| title_fullStr | L-Arabinose Alters the <i>E. coli</i> Transcriptome to Favor Biofilm Growth and Enhances Survival During Fluoroquinolone Stress |
| title_full_unstemmed | L-Arabinose Alters the <i>E. coli</i> Transcriptome to Favor Biofilm Growth and Enhances Survival During Fluoroquinolone Stress |
| title_short | L-Arabinose Alters the <i>E. coli</i> Transcriptome to Favor Biofilm Growth and Enhances Survival During Fluoroquinolone Stress |
| title_sort | l arabinose alters the i e coli i transcriptome to favor biofilm growth and enhances survival during fluoroquinolone stress |
| topic | biofilm <i>E. coli</i> fluoroquinolone transcriptomics |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/13/7/1665 |
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