Escherichia coli Cells Exposed to Lethal Doses of Electron Beam Irradiation Retain Their Ability to Propagate Bacteriophages and Are Metabolically Active
Reports in the literature suggest that bacteria exposed to lethal doses of ionizing radiation, i.e., electron beams, are unable to replicate yet they remain metabolically active. To investigate this phenomenon further, we electron beam irradiated Escherichia coli cells to a lethal dose and measured...
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2018-09-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Microbiology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmicb.2018.02138/full |
| _version_ | 1818149295810936832 |
|---|---|
| author | Anne-Sophie Charlotte Hieke Anne-Sophie Charlotte Hieke Suresh D. Pillai Suresh D. Pillai |
| author_facet | Anne-Sophie Charlotte Hieke Anne-Sophie Charlotte Hieke Suresh D. Pillai Suresh D. Pillai |
| author_sort | Anne-Sophie Charlotte Hieke |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Reports in the literature suggest that bacteria exposed to lethal doses of ionizing radiation, i.e., electron beams, are unable to replicate yet they remain metabolically active. To investigate this phenomenon further, we electron beam irradiated Escherichia coli cells to a lethal dose and measured their membrane integrity, metabolic activity, ATP levels and overall cellular functionality via bacteriophage infection. We also visualized the DNA double-strand breaks in the cells. We used non-irradiated (live) and heat-killed cells as positive and negative controls, respectively. Our results show that the membrane integrity of E. coli cells is maintained and that the cells remain metabolically active up to 9 days post-irradiation when stored at 4°C. The ATP levels in lethally irradiated cells are similar to non-irradiated control cells. We also visualized extensive DNA damage within the cells and confirmed their cellular functionality based on their ability to propagate bacteriophages for up to 9 days post-irradiation. Overall, our findings indicate that lethally irradiated E. coli cells resemble live non-irradiated cells more closely than heat-killed (dead) cells. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T13:04:46Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9f5df9fc552342538506f020fa657c66 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-302X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T13:04:46Z |
| publishDate | 2018-09-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Microbiology |
| spelling | doaj.art-9f5df9fc552342538506f020fa657c662022-12-22T01:06:21ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Microbiology1664-302X2018-09-01910.3389/fmicb.2018.02138404552Escherichia coli Cells Exposed to Lethal Doses of Electron Beam Irradiation Retain Their Ability to Propagate Bacteriophages and Are Metabolically ActiveAnne-Sophie Charlotte Hieke0Anne-Sophie Charlotte Hieke1Suresh D. Pillai2Suresh D. Pillai3National Center for Electron Beam Research (an IAEA Collaborating Centre for Electron Beam Technology), Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United StatesInterdisciplinary Faculty of Toxicology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United StatesNational Center for Electron Beam Research (an IAEA Collaborating Centre for Electron Beam Technology), Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United StatesInterdisciplinary Faculty of Toxicology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United StatesReports in the literature suggest that bacteria exposed to lethal doses of ionizing radiation, i.e., electron beams, are unable to replicate yet they remain metabolically active. To investigate this phenomenon further, we electron beam irradiated Escherichia coli cells to a lethal dose and measured their membrane integrity, metabolic activity, ATP levels and overall cellular functionality via bacteriophage infection. We also visualized the DNA double-strand breaks in the cells. We used non-irradiated (live) and heat-killed cells as positive and negative controls, respectively. Our results show that the membrane integrity of E. coli cells is maintained and that the cells remain metabolically active up to 9 days post-irradiation when stored at 4°C. The ATP levels in lethally irradiated cells are similar to non-irradiated control cells. We also visualized extensive DNA damage within the cells and confirmed their cellular functionality based on their ability to propagate bacteriophages for up to 9 days post-irradiation. Overall, our findings indicate that lethally irradiated E. coli cells resemble live non-irradiated cells more closely than heat-killed (dead) cells.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmicb.2018.02138/fullelectron beamionizing radiationbacteriaDNA damagebacteriophages |
| spellingShingle | Anne-Sophie Charlotte Hieke Anne-Sophie Charlotte Hieke Suresh D. Pillai Suresh D. Pillai Escherichia coli Cells Exposed to Lethal Doses of Electron Beam Irradiation Retain Their Ability to Propagate Bacteriophages and Are Metabolically Active Frontiers in Microbiology electron beam ionizing radiation bacteria DNA damage bacteriophages |
| title | Escherichia coli Cells Exposed to Lethal Doses of Electron Beam Irradiation Retain Their Ability to Propagate Bacteriophages and Are Metabolically Active |
| title_full | Escherichia coli Cells Exposed to Lethal Doses of Electron Beam Irradiation Retain Their Ability to Propagate Bacteriophages and Are Metabolically Active |
| title_fullStr | Escherichia coli Cells Exposed to Lethal Doses of Electron Beam Irradiation Retain Their Ability to Propagate Bacteriophages and Are Metabolically Active |
| title_full_unstemmed | Escherichia coli Cells Exposed to Lethal Doses of Electron Beam Irradiation Retain Their Ability to Propagate Bacteriophages and Are Metabolically Active |
| title_short | Escherichia coli Cells Exposed to Lethal Doses of Electron Beam Irradiation Retain Their Ability to Propagate Bacteriophages and Are Metabolically Active |
| title_sort | escherichia coli cells exposed to lethal doses of electron beam irradiation retain their ability to propagate bacteriophages and are metabolically active |
| topic | electron beam ionizing radiation bacteria DNA damage bacteriophages |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmicb.2018.02138/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT annesophiecharlottehieke escherichiacolicellsexposedtolethaldosesofelectronbeamirradiationretaintheirabilitytopropagatebacteriophagesandaremetabolicallyactive AT annesophiecharlottehieke escherichiacolicellsexposedtolethaldosesofelectronbeamirradiationretaintheirabilitytopropagatebacteriophagesandaremetabolicallyactive AT sureshdpillai escherichiacolicellsexposedtolethaldosesofelectronbeamirradiationretaintheirabilitytopropagatebacteriophagesandaremetabolicallyactive AT sureshdpillai escherichiacolicellsexposedtolethaldosesofelectronbeamirradiationretaintheirabilitytopropagatebacteriophagesandaremetabolicallyactive |