Dorin Harpaz _ Institute of Biochemistry, Food science & Nutrition, Faculty of Agriculture, Food & Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot 76100, Israel; Department of Postharvest Science, Institute of Postharvest and Food Sciences, The Volcani Center, Agricultural Research Organization, Rishon LeZion 7505101, Israel.
Robert S Marks _ Avram & Stella Goldstein-Goren Department of Biotechnology Engineering, Faculty of Engineering Science, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, 84105, Israel; The Ilse Katz Center for Meso & Nanoscale Science & Technology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel.
Ariel Kushmaro _ Avram & Stella Goldstein-Goren Department of Biotechnology Engineering, Faculty of Engineering Science, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, 84105, Israel; The Ilse Katz Center for Meso & Nanoscale Science & Technology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel.
Evgeni Eltzov _ Department of Postharvest Science, Institute of Postharvest and Food Sciences, The Volcani Center, Agricultural Research Organization, Rishon LeZion 7505101, Israel.
Aim: The mechanisms behind antibiotic resistance by bacteria are important to create alternative molecules. Objective: This study focuses on the impact of environmental pollutants on bacterial resistance to antibiotics. Materials & methods: The effect of various environmental pollutants on noninherited bacterial resistance to antibiotics was examined. Results: The tolerance to the polymyxin-B antibiotic was shown to be conferred to Escherichia coli, by pretreatment with subinhibitory concentrations of environmental toxicants. The cell survival to a sublethal dosage of antibiotics was tested. Exposure to low concentrations of toxic compounds (500 ppb copper, 2% [v/v] ethanol or 0.5 μg/ml trimethoprim) stimulated the bacterial heat shock systems and led to increased tolerance to polymyxin B. Conclusion: Environmental pollutants induce a temporary bacterial noninheritable resistance to antibiotic.
Dorin Harpaz _ Institute of Biochemistry, Food science & Nutrition, Faculty of Agriculture, Food & Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot 76100, Israel; Department of Postharvest Science, Institute of Postharvest and Food Sciences, The Volcani Center, Agricultural Research Organization, Rishon LeZion 7505101, Israel.
Robert S Marks _ Avram & Stella Goldstein-Goren Department of Biotechnology Engineering, Faculty of Engineering Science, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, 84105, Israel; The Ilse Katz Center for Meso & Nanoscale Science & Technology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel.
Ariel Kushmaro _ Avram & Stella Goldstein-Goren Department of Biotechnology Engineering, Faculty of Engineering Science, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, 84105, Israel; The Ilse Katz Center for Meso & Nanoscale Science & Technology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel.
Evgeni Eltzov _ Department of Postharvest Science, Institute of Postharvest and Food Sciences, The Volcani Center, Agricultural Research Organization, Rishon LeZion 7505101, Israel.
Aim: The mechanisms behind antibiotic resistance by bacteria are important to create alternative molecules. Objective: This study focuses on the impact of environmental pollutants on bacterial resistance to antibiotics. Materials & methods: The effect of various environmental pollutants on noninherited bacterial resistance to antibiotics was examined. Results: The tolerance to the polymyxin-B antibiotic was shown to be conferred to Escherichia coli, by pretreatment with subinhibitory concentrations of environmental toxicants. The cell survival to a sublethal dosage of antibiotics was tested. Exposure to low concentrations of toxic compounds (500 ppb copper, 2% [v/v] ethanol or 0.5 μg/ml trimethoprim) stimulated the bacterial heat shock systems and led to increased tolerance to polymyxin B. Conclusion: Environmental pollutants induce a temporary bacterial noninheritable resistance to antibiotic.