Unveiling a Novel Mechanism of Enhanced Secretion, Cargo Loading, and Accelerated Dynamics of Bacterial Extracellular Vesicles Following Antibiotic Exposure.

ABSTRACT: Antibiotic exposure substantially alters the production mechanisms of bacterial extracellular vesicles (BEVs), which serve as carriers for intercellular exchange of DNA, proteins, and nutrients, yet the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. Here, using Escherichia coli as a model, we uncover how antibiotic exposure enhances BEV secretion, cargo enrichment, and motility. Our results demonstrate that enrofloxacin (ENR) triggers the SOS response, leading to upregulation of the endolysin genes essd-1, rrrd, and rzod, causing peptidoglycan layer damage and promoting modest BEV formation with encapsulated bioactive components such as DNA and proteins. More critically, ENR suppresses ompR, a key regulator in the OmpR/EnvZ two-component system, downregulating the expression of the outer membrane (

SUBMITTER: Li J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12287860 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature