Issue 5, 2024

Co-culture of benzalkonium chloride promotes the biofilm formation and decreases the antibiotic susceptibility of a Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain

Abstract

Benzalkonium chloride (BAC) is a disinfectant with broad-spectrum antibacterial properties, yet despite its widespread use and detection in the environment, the effects of BAC exposure on microorganisms remain poorly documented. Herein, the impacts of BAC on a Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain Jade-X were systematically investigated. The results demonstrated that the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of BAC against strain Jade-X was 64 mg L−1. Exposure to BAC concentrations of 8, 16, 32, and 64 mg L−1 significantly augmented biofilm formation by 2.03-, 2.43-, 2.96-, and 2.56-fold respectively. The swimming and twitching abilities, along with the virulence factor production, were inhibited. Consistently, quantitative reverse transcription PCR assays revealed significant downregulation of genes related to flagellate- and pili-mediated motilities (flgD, flgE, pilB, pilQ, and motB), as well as phzA and phzB genes involved in pyocyanin production. The results of disk diffusion and MIC assays demonstrated that BAC decreased the antibiotic susceptibility of ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, norfloxacin, and tetracycline. Conversely, an opposite trend was observed for polymyxin B and ceftriaxone. Genomic analysis revealed that strain Jade-X harbored eleven resistance-nodulation-cell division efflux pumps, with mexCD-oprJ exhibiting significant upregulation while mexEF-oprN and mexGHI-opmD were downregulated. In addition, the quorum sensing-related regulators LasR and RhlR were also suppressed, implying that BAC might modulate the physiological and biochemical behaviors of strain Jade-X by attenuating the quorum sensing system. This study enhances our understanding of interactions between BAC and P. aeruginosa, providing valuable insights to guide the regulation and rational use of BAC.

Graphical abstract: Co-culture of benzalkonium chloride promotes the biofilm formation and decreases the antibiotic susceptibility of a Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
25 yan 2024
Accepted
15 apr 2024
First published
22 apr 2024

Environ. Sci.: Processes Impacts, 2024,26, 858-869

Co-culture of benzalkonium chloride promotes the biofilm formation and decreases the antibiotic susceptibility of a Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain

C. Wang, Q. Ma, J. Zhang, N. Meng and D. Xu, Environ. Sci.: Processes Impacts, 2024, 26, 858 DOI: 10.1039/D4EM00035H

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements