Concentration-dependent activity of antibiotics in natural environments
Bacterial responses to antibiotics are concentration dependent. At high concentrations, antibiotics exhibit antimicrobial activities on susceptible cells, while subinhibitory concentrations induce diverse biological responses in bacteria. At non-lethal concentrations, bacteria may sense antibiotic...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2013-02-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Microbiology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fmicb.2013.00020/full |
| _version_ | 1828241767078559744 |
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| author | Steve P Bernier Michael G Surette |
| author_facet | Steve P Bernier Michael G Surette |
| author_sort | Steve P Bernier |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Bacterial responses to antibiotics are concentration dependent. At high concentrations, antibiotics exhibit antimicrobial activities on susceptible cells, while subinhibitory concentrations induce diverse biological responses in bacteria. At non-lethal concentrations, bacteria may sense antibiotics as extracellular chemicals to trigger different cellular responses, which may include an altered antibiotic resistance/tolerance profile. In natural settings, microbes are typically in polymicrobial communities and antibiotic-mediated interactions between species may play a significant role in bacterial community structure and function. However, these aspects have not yet fully been explored at the community level. Here we discuss the different types of interactions mediated by antibiotics and non-antibiotic metabolites as a function of their concentrations and speculate on how these may amplify the overall antibiotic resistance/tolerance and the spread of antibiotic resistance determinants in a context of polymicrobial community. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T22:04:29Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-de260b08af164cdd9226bf7ee4efa452 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-302X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T22:04:29Z |
| publishDate | 2013-02-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Microbiology |
| spelling | doaj.art-de260b08af164cdd9226bf7ee4efa4522022-12-22T03:14:59ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Microbiology1664-302X2013-02-01410.3389/fmicb.2013.0002040125Concentration-dependent activity of antibiotics in natural environmentsSteve P Bernier0Michael G Surette1McMaster UniversityMcmaster UniversityBacterial responses to antibiotics are concentration dependent. At high concentrations, antibiotics exhibit antimicrobial activities on susceptible cells, while subinhibitory concentrations induce diverse biological responses in bacteria. At non-lethal concentrations, bacteria may sense antibiotics as extracellular chemicals to trigger different cellular responses, which may include an altered antibiotic resistance/tolerance profile. In natural settings, microbes are typically in polymicrobial communities and antibiotic-mediated interactions between species may play a significant role in bacterial community structure and function. However, these aspects have not yet fully been explored at the community level. Here we discuss the different types of interactions mediated by antibiotics and non-antibiotic metabolites as a function of their concentrations and speculate on how these may amplify the overall antibiotic resistance/tolerance and the spread of antibiotic resistance determinants in a context of polymicrobial community.http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fmicb.2013.00020/fullstresstoleranceantibiotic resistancesignalantibioticantibiotic tolerance |
| spellingShingle | Steve P Bernier Michael G Surette Concentration-dependent activity of antibiotics in natural environments Frontiers in Microbiology stress tolerance antibiotic resistance signal antibiotic antibiotic tolerance |
| title | Concentration-dependent activity of antibiotics in natural environments |
| title_full | Concentration-dependent activity of antibiotics in natural environments |
| title_fullStr | Concentration-dependent activity of antibiotics in natural environments |
| title_full_unstemmed | Concentration-dependent activity of antibiotics in natural environments |
| title_short | Concentration-dependent activity of antibiotics in natural environments |
| title_sort | concentration dependent activity of antibiotics in natural environments |
| topic | stress tolerance antibiotic resistance signal antibiotic antibiotic tolerance |
| url | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fmicb.2013.00020/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT stevepbernier concentrationdependentactivityofantibioticsinnaturalenvironments AT michaelgsurette concentrationdependentactivityofantibioticsinnaturalenvironments |