Non-lethal exposure to H2O2 boosts bacterial survival and evolvability against oxidative stress.

ABSTRACT: Unicellular organisms have the prevalent challenge to survive under oxidative stress of reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). ROS are present as by-products of photosynthesis and aerobic respiration. These reactive species are even employed by multicellular organisms as potent weapons against microbes. Although bacterial defences against lethal and sub-lethal oxidative stress have been studied in model bacteria, the role of fluctuating H2O2 concentrations remains unexplored. It is known that sub-lethal exposure of Escherichia coli to H2O2 results in enhanced survival upon subsequent exposure. Here we investigate the priming response to H2O2 at physiological concentrations. The basis and the duration of the response (memory) were also determined by time-lapse quant

SUBMITTER: Rodriguez-Rojas A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7093028 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature