Transcriptomic responses of Escherichia coli to antimicrobial photodynamic therapy

Antimicrobial resistance is a major global threat but aPDT is a promising alternative to combat multidrug resistance bacteria. Unfortunately, a lack of knowledge on the response of bacteria to this treatment can be an obstacle to use aPDT as a routine therapy. This study investigated transcriptomic changes in Escherichia coli following photodynamic treatment utilizing RNA-seq approach, followed by Gene Ontology (GO) and KEGG pathway analysis. Key up-regulated genes were further validated using single-gene mutants from the KEIO collection. aPDT induced significant transcriptional changes, affecting 1496 genes (829 up-regulated, 667 down-regulated). The ten most up-regulated genes were associated with stress response, membrane damage, and oxidative stress protection. KEGG analysis highlighted pathways related to ABC transporters and microbial metabolism. Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy triggers differential expression of numerous genes with an emphasis on those involved in defense and adaptation.