Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 21, 2025
Monitoring Spatial Segregation in Surface Colonizing Microbial Populations
Published on: October 29, 2016
Effects of Yellow Light on Airborne Microbial Composition and on the Transcriptome of Typical Marker Strain in Ward
Xuanqi Zhao1,2, Jing Wei2, Wenjie Chen3
1School of Life Science, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China.
Abstract:
Airborne diseases are transmitted by pathogens in the air. The complex microbial environment in wards is usually considered a major cause of nosocomial infection of various diseases which greatly influences the health of patients with chronic diseases, whereas the illuminant of wards impacts on the microbe especially the disease marker strain is seldom studied. In the present study, high-throughput sequencing was used to study the effect of yellow light on airborne microbial composition, and changes of transcriptome of marker strains Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which were isolated from wards, were further studied after the irradiation by yellow light. High-throughput sequencing results indicated that yellow light significantly decreased α-diversity. The relative abundance of Firmicutes at the phylum level, and Clostridium sensu stricto 1, Paraclostridium at the genus level were significantly reduced. RNA sequencing results declared that yellow light significantly downregulated the genes associated with flagella, heme transport system and carbohydrate, amino acid metabolism in E. coli, and the genes related to arginine biosynthesis and the biosynthesis of isoleucine, leucine, and valine in S. aureus. Meanwhile, yellow light significantly upregulated the genes relating to porphyrin metabolism in P. aeruginosa. In conclusion, our work reveals the impacts of yellow light on the microbe in wards, pointing out the application value of yellow light in the prevention of infectious diseases in clinical practice.
Insights
Yellow light significantly alters airborne microbes in hospital wards, reducing harmful bacteria like Firmicutes. This finding highlights yellow light
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Environmental Health
- Infectious Disease Control
Background:
- Hospital-acquired infections (nosocomial infections) pose a significant threat, particularly to patients with chronic diseases.
- The role of environmental factors, such as lighting, in shaping the microbial composition of hospital wards is underexplored.
- Airborne pathogens are a primary concern in healthcare settings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of yellow light on the airborne microbial community in hospital wards.
- To analyze the transcriptomic changes in key bacterial pathogens exposed to yellow light.
- To assess the potential of yellow light as a strategy for preventing infectious diseases in clinical environments.
Main Methods:
- High-throughput sequencing was employed to analyze changes in airborne microbial composition.
- Transcriptomic analysis (RNA sequencing) was performed on isolated strains of *Escherichia coli*, *Staphylococcus aureus*, and *Pseudomonas aeruginosa* after yellow light irradiation.
- Specific bacterial strains were selected as markers for disease-related microbial changes.
Main Results:
- Yellow light exposure led to a significant decrease in airborne microbial alpha-diversity.
- The relative abundance of Firmicutes (phylum) and *Clostridium sensu stricto 1*, *Paraclostridium* (genera) was significantly reduced.
- Yellow light modulated gene expression in *E. coli* (downregulating flagella, heme transport, metabolism genes), *S. aureus* (downregulating amino acid biosynthesis genes), and *P. aeruginosa* (upregulating porphyrin metabolism genes).
Conclusions:
- Yellow light demonstrably impacts the airborne microbial landscape within hospital wards.
- The observed changes in microbial composition and gene expression suggest a role for yellow light in controlling specific pathogens.
- Yellow light presents a promising, low-impact application for the prevention of infectious diseases in clinical settings.
