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Updated: Jun 7, 2026
High-throughput Screening of Chemical Compounds to Elucidate Their Effects on Bacterial Persistence
Published on: February 23, 2021
Transcriptomics revealed the key molecular mechanisms of ofloxacin-induced hormesis in Chlorella pyrenoidosa at
Yuhao Zhou1, Yan Zhu2, Feifan Wu2
1Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Ecology and Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, No. 159 Longpan Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210037, China; School of Chemical Engineering and Materials, Changzhou Institute of Technology, No. 666 Liaohe Road, Changzhou, Jiangsu, 213032, China.
Abstract:
Emerging pollutants such as antibiotics have aroused great concern in recent years. However, the knowledge of low concentration-induced hormesis was not well understood. This study evaluated and quantified hormetic effects of ofloxacin on Chlorella pyrenoidosa. LogNormal model predicted the maximal non-effect concentration was 0.13 mg/L and 2.96 mg/L at 3 and 21 d, respectively. The sensitive alterations in chlorophyll fluorescence suggested PSII was the main target. Transcriptomics revealed ofloxacin inhibited genes related to photosynthetic system while the cyclic electron around PSI decreased the pH value in stroma side and stimulated photoprotection via up-regulating psbS. The stimulation in citrate cycle pathway met the urgent requirements of energy for DNA replication and repair. In addition, the negative feedback of G3P in glycolysis pathway inhibited Calvin cycle. The degradation products illustrated the occurrence of multiple detoxification mechanisms such as demethylation and ring-opening. The mobilization of cytochrome P450 generated the constant detoxication of ofloxacin while glutathione was consumptively involved in biological binding. This study provided new insights into the molecular mechanisms of antibiotic-induced hormesis in microalgae.
