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Published on: September 27, 2016
Chlorination-driven redox metabolic reprogramming promotes bacterial persistence and cross-resistance in drinking
Mengyuan Wang1, Zhiguang Niu1, Xin Zuo1
1School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300350, China.
Water Research
|July 2, 2026
Summary
Chlorine disinfection in drinking water selects for resilient bacteria by altering their metabolism. Understanding these metabolic changes reveals how bacteria survive and resist antibiotics in water systems.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Environmental Science
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Chlorination is vital for drinking water disinfection.
- Persistent oxidative stress from chlorination may select for resilient microorganisms in distribution systems.
- Understanding bacterial metabolic responses to chlorine is crucial for water safety.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate conserved metabolic mechanisms of chlorine tolerance in environmental bacteria.
- Identify metabolic reprogramming in response to chlorine exposure.
- Link metabolic changes to bacterial persistence and antibiotic cross-resistance.
Main Methods:
- Transcriptomic profiling
- Targeted metabolomics
- Constraint-based flux balance analysis (FBA)
- Gene disruption experiments
Main Results:
- Chlorine stress increased flux through central carbon metabolism (glycolysis, TCA cycle, PPP).
- Metabolic reprogramming enhanced NAD(P)H regeneration and redox buffering.
- Key metabolic nodes (e.g., mdh, narG) were critical for cofactor balance and energy homeostasis.
- Gene knockouts significantly reduced NAD(P)H production, metabolic activity, and chlorine tolerance.
Conclusions:
- A chlorine-responsive metabolic network links oxidative stress to bacterial persistence.
- Metabolic resilience contributes to cross-resistance to multiple antibiotics.
- Findings provide insights into microbial survival strategies in drinking water systems.
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