Transcriptomic and metabolomic investigation of molecular inactivation mechanisms in Escherichia coli triggered by graphene quantum dots

Yan Fang; Wanfeng Wu; Yan Zhao; Haoqiang Liu; Zongda Li; Xinbo Li; Minwei Zhang; Yanan Qin

doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.137051

Transcriptomic and metabolomic investigation of molecular inactivation mechanisms in Escherichia coli triggered by graphene quantum dots

Chemosphere. 2023 Jan;311(Pt 2):137051. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.137051. Epub 2022 Nov 2.

Authors

Yan Fang¹, Wanfeng Wu¹, Yan Zhao¹, Haoqiang Liu¹, Zongda Li¹, Xinbo Li¹, Minwei Zhang², Yanan Qin³

Affiliations

¹ College of Life Science & Technology, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, 830017, China; Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Biological Resources and Genetic Engineering, Urumqi, 830017, China.
² College of Life Science & Technology, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, 830017, China; Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Biological Resources and Genetic Engineering, Urumqi, 830017, China. Electronic address: zhang78089680@sina.com.
³ College of Life Science & Technology, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, 830017, China; Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Biological Resources and Genetic Engineering, Urumqi, 830017, China. Electronic address: qingyalan12345@sina.com.

PMID: 36334733
DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.137051

Abstract

Graphene quantum dots (GQDs), a novel broad-spectrum antibacterial agent, are considered potential candidates in the field of biomedical and food safety due to their outstanding antimicrobial properties and excellent biocompatibility. To uncover the molecular regulatory mechanisms underlying the phenotypes, the overall regulation of genes and metabolites in Escherichia coli (E. coli) after GQDs stimulation was investigated by RNA-sequencing and LC-MS. Gene transcription and metabolite expression related to a series of crucial biomolecular processes were influenced by the GQDs stimulation, including biofilm formation, bacterial secretion system, sulfur metabolism and nitrogen metabolism, etc. This study could provide profound insights into the GQDs stress response in E. coli, which would be useful for the development and application of GQDs in food safety.

Keywords: Escherichia coli; Graphene quantum dots; Metabolomic; Transcriptomic.