Roles of Bacterial Mechanosensitive Channels in Infection and Antibiotic Susceptibility.

ABSTRACT: Bacteria accumulate osmolytes to prevent cell dehydration during hyperosmotic stress. A sudden change to a hypotonic environment leads to a rapid water influx, causing swelling of the protoplast. To prevent cell lysis through osmotic bursting, mechanosensitive channels detect changes in turgor pressure and act as emergency-release valves for the ions and osmolytes, restoring the osmotic balance. This adaptation mechanism is well-characterized with respect to the osmotic challenges bacteria face in environments such as soil or an aquatic habitat. However, mechanosensitive channels also play a role during infection, e.g., during host colonization or release into environmental reservoirs. Moreover, recent studies have proposed roles for mechanosensitive channels as determinants of antibiotic

SUBMITTER: Sidarta M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9322971 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature