Adaptation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to a pulsed light-induced stress

J Appl Microbiol. 2012 Mar;112(3):502-11. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2672.2011.05224.x. Epub 2012 Jan 24.

Abstract

Aims: Pulsed light (PL) technology is an efficient surface decontamination process. Used in low transmitted energy conditions, PL induces a stress that can be perceived by bacteria. The effect of such a PL stress was investigated on the highly environmental adaptable germ Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1.

Methods and results: Pulses of transmitted energy (fluence) reaching 1·8Jcm(-2) can kill 10(9) bacteria. Application of a lower sublethal PL dose allowed the bacteria to resist and survive more efficiently to a subsequent dose of PL. This sublethal dose was not increasing the mutation frequency of Ps. aeruginosa, but altered the abundance of 15 proteins as revealed by a global proteome analysis, including stress-induced proteins, phage-related proteins, energy and carbon metabolisms, cell motility, and transcription and translation regulators.

Conclusions: A response to a low-energy PL dose takes place in Ps. aeruginosa, reducing the energy conversion systems, while increasing transcription and translation processes to produce proteins involved in chaperone mechanisms and phage-related proteins, probably to protect the bacterium against a new PL-induced stress.

Significance and impact of the study: Taken together, these results suggest that a low-energy PL dose is sufficient to provoke adaptation of Ps. aeruginosa, leading to enhancing its resistance to a subsequent lethal treatment.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adaptation, Physiological*
  • Decontamination / methods*
  • Light*
  • Microbial Viability / radiation effects
  • Mutation Rate
  • Proteome / analysis
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa / genetics
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa / metabolism
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa / radiation effects*
  • Stress, Physiological

Substances

  • Proteome