Experimental evolution of <i>Escherichia coli</i> on semi-dry silver, copper, stainless steel, and glass surfaces.

ABSTRACT: To study bacterial adaptation to antimicrobial metal surfaces in application-relevant conditions, Escherichia coli was exposed to copper and silver surfaces for 30 exposure cycles in low-organic dry or high-organic humid conditions. The evolved populations demonstrated increased metal surface tolerance without concurrent increase in minimal biocidal concentration (MBC) and minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of respective metal ions or selected antibiotics. Mutation analysis did not detect increased mutation accumulation nor mutations in cop, cus, cue, sil, pco, or general efflux genes known to actively maintain copper/silver homeostasis. Instead, during cyclic exposure, mutations in genes related to cellular barrier functions and sulfur

SUBMITTER: Rosenberg M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11960088 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature