Global transcriptomic responses of Escherichia coli K-12 to volatile organic compounds

Abstract Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are commonly used as solvents in various industrial settings. Many of them present a challenge to receiving environments, due to their toxicity and low bioavailability for degradation. Microorganisms are capable of sensing and responding to their surroundings and this makes them ideal detectors for toxic compounds. This study investigates the global transcriptomic responses of Escherichia coli K-12 to selected VOCs at sub-toxic levels. Cells grown in the presence of VOCs were harvested during exponential growth, followed by whole transcriptome shotgun sequencing (RNAseq). The analysis of the data revealed both shared and unique genetic responses compared to cells without exposure to VOCs. Results suggest that various functional gene categories, for example, those relating to Fe/S cluster biogenesis, oxidative stress responses and transport proteins, are responsive to selected VOCs in E. coli. The differential expression (DE) of genes was validated using GFP-promoter fusion assays. A variety of genes were differentially expressed even at non-inhibitory concentrations and when the cells are at their balanced-growth. Some of these genes belong to generic stress response and others could be specific to VOCs. Such candidate genes and their regulatory elements could be used as the basis for designing biosensors for selected VOCs.

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Erratum: Global transcriptomic responses of Escherichia coli K-12 to volatile organic compounds

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/srep33108 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Pui Yi Yung ◽

Letizia Lo Grasso ◽

Abeed Fatima Mohidin ◽

Enzo Acerbi ◽

Jamie Hinks ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Escherichia Coli ◽

Volatile Organic Compounds ◽

Organic Compounds ◽

Volatile Organic ◽

Transcriptomic Responses ◽

K 12

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Heatwave frequency and seedling death alter stress-specific emissions of volatile organic compounds in Aleppo pine

Oecologia ◽

10.1007/s00442-021-04905-y ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Benjamin Birami ◽

Ines Bamberger ◽

Andrea Ghirardo ◽

Rüdiger Grote ◽

Almut Arneth ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Volatile Organic Compounds ◽

Gas Exchange ◽

Organic Compounds ◽

Stress Responses ◽

Methyl Salicylate ◽

Environmental Changes ◽

Pinus Halepensis ◽

Dark Respiration ◽

Seedling Mortality ◽

Volatile Organic

AbstractBiogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOC) play important roles in plant stress responses and can serve as stress indicators. While the impacts of gradual environmental changes on BVOCs have been studied extensively, insights in emission responses to repeated stress and recovery are widely absent. Therefore, we studied the dynamics of shoot gas exchange and BVOC emissions in Pinus halepensis seedlings during an induced moderate drought, two four-day-long heatwaves, and the combination of drought and heatwaves. We found clear stress-specific responses of BVOC emissions. Reductions in acetone emissions with declining soil water content and transpiration stood out as a clear drought indicator. All other measured BVOC emissions responded exponentially to rising temperatures during heat stress (maximum of 43 °C), but monoterpenes and methyl salicylate showed a reduced temperature sensitivity during the second heatwave. We found that these decreases in monoterpene emissions between heatwaves were not reflected by similar declines in their internal storage pools. Because stress intensity was extremely severe, most of the seedlings in the heat-drought treatment died at the end of the second heatwave (dark respiration ceased). Interestingly, BVOC emissions (methanol, monoterpenes, methyl salicylate, and acetaldehyde) differed between dying and surviving seedlings, already well before indications of a reduced vitality became visible in gas exchange dynamics. In summary, we could clearly show that the dynamics of BVOC emissions are sensitive to stress type, stress frequency, and stress severity. Moreover, we found indications that stress-induced seedling mortality was preceded by altered methanol, monoterpene, and acetaldehyde emission dynamics.

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Effect of volatile organic compounds from Pinus sylvestris and Picea abies on Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium

Holzforschung ◽

10.1515/hf-2017-0007 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 71 (11) ◽

pp. 905-912 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Tiina Vainio-Kaila ◽

Tuomas Hänninen ◽

Aino Kyyhkynen ◽

Martin Ohlmeyer ◽

Anja Siitonen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Escherichia Coli ◽

Staphylococcus Aureus ◽

Streptococcus Pneumoniae ◽

Volatile Organic Compounds ◽

Organic Compounds ◽

Antibacterial Effect ◽

Bacterial Strains ◽

Volatile Organic ◽

Wood Particles ◽

Serovar Typhimurium

AbstractPine and spruce heartwood and sapwood were milled to wood particles and the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) of the wood particles were tested against four bacterial strains. To study the influence of relative humidity on the antibacterial effect, both dry and wet wood particles were tested. Twenty microliters of the bacterial dilution with a concentration of 1.5×107CFU ml−1was cultured on glass surfaces in the presence of VOCs and the amount of viable bacteria was studied after 2, 4, and 24 h. The volatile emissions were evaluated by GC/MS and the results were compared with the results from the bacterial trial. VOCs had an antibacterial effect onEscherichia coli, Streptococcus pneumoniaeand slightly onSalmonella entericaserovar Typhimurium. But the effect onStaphylococcus aureuswas minute even after 3 days’ incubation. The dry wood particles generally had a stronger antibacterial effect, though the amount of VOCs from the wet wood was higher. Pine heartwood had the strongest antibacterial effect and also the highest emissions of VOCs. However, the interaction between different bacterial strains and wood species shows some variations.

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