Using a Chemical Genetic Screen to Enhance Our Understanding of the Antibacterial Properties of Silver.
Natalie GugalaJoe LemireKate Chatfield-ReedYing YanGordon ChuaRaymond Joseph TurnerPublished in: Genes (2018)
It is essential to understand the mechanisms by which a toxicant is capable of poisoning the bacterial cell. The mechanism of action of many biocides and toxins, including numerous ubiquitous compounds, is not fully understood. For example, despite the widespread clinical and commercial use of silver (Ag), the mechanisms describing how this metal poisons bacterial cells remains incomplete. To advance our understanding surrounding the antimicrobial action of Ag, we performed a chemical genetic screen of a mutant library of Escherichia coli—the Keio collection, in order to identify Ag sensitive or resistant deletion strains. Indeed, our findings corroborate many previously established mechanisms that describe the antibacterial effects of Ag, such as the disruption of iron-sulfur clusters containing proteins and certain cellular redox enzymes. However, the data presented here demonstrates that the activity of Ag within the bacterial cell is more extensive, encompassing genes involved in cell wall maintenance, quinone metabolism and sulfur assimilation. Altogether, this study provides further insight into the antimicrobial mechanism of Ag and the physiological adaption of E. coli to this metal.
Keyphrases
- quantum dots
- escherichia coli
- highly efficient
- visible light
- silver nanoparticles
- cell wall
- single cell
- staphylococcus aureus
- gold nanoparticles
- high throughput
- induced apoptosis
- stem cells
- genome wide
- copy number
- mesenchymal stem cells
- machine learning
- oxidative stress
- dna methylation
- cystic fibrosis
- signaling pathway
- deep learning
- biofilm formation
- artificial intelligence
- wound healing
- electron transfer