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Static Magnetic Field Inhibits Growth of Escherichia coli Colonies via Restriction of Carbon Source Utilization

Haodong Li1, Runnan Xie1, Xiang Xu1

  • 1Shanghai Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai 200234, China.

Cells
|March 10, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Static magnetic fields (SMF) inhibit Escherichia coli (E. coli) growth by affecting carbon metabolism, specifically reducing glycolate oxidase activity. This leads to oxidative stress and growth inhibition, clarifying previous varied findings.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Biophysics
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Magnetobiological effects on Escherichia coli (E. coli) are reported but lack a clear mechanism.
  • Varied and conflicting results exist regarding static magnetic field (SMF) impacts on bacterial growth and virulence.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the mechanism behind the magnetobiological effects of SMF on E. coli growth.
  • To investigate the impact of SMF on gene expression and metabolic pathways in E. coli.

Main Methods:

  • Exposure of E. coli to a 250 mT static magnetic field (SMF).
  • Transcriptomic analysis to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs).
  • Metabolomic assays to analyze changes in fatty acid profiles and enzyme activity.

Main Results:

  • SMF significantly reduced E. coli colony diameter but not colony count.
  • DEGs were primarily involved in carbon source utilization, particularly glycolate metabolism.
  • SMF treatment decreased glycolate oxidase activity and inhibited long-chain fatty acid degradation.
  • Accumulation of long-chain fatty acids and decrease in phosphatidylglycerol and middle-chain fatty acids were observed.

Conclusions:

  • SMF inhibits E. coli growth by decreasing glycolate oxidase activity and hindering long-chain fatty acid degradation.
  • The proposed mechanism involves SMF targeting free radicals from fatty acid degradation, inducing oxidative stress.
  • This study provides a mechanistic explanation for observed magnetobiological effects on E. coli growth.
Keywords:
Escherichia colicarbon metabolismfree radicalsglycolate oxidaselong-chain fatty acidsmagnetic fieldoxidative stress

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