Resistance to sucralose in Escherichia coli is not conferred by mutations in the quinolone resistance determining regions of gyrA

Authors

  • Sara Suna Dalkilic University of British Columbia
  • Solana Cheng
  • Aneil Avasthi
  • Sherri Chi

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14288/ujemi.v25i.193265

Abstract

Sucralose, a synthetic non-caloric sweetener (NCS) commonly consumed in North America, is associated with an increasing number of metabolic disorders that may be result from NCS-microbiome interactions and the bacteriostatic action of sucralose on various species including Escherichia coli. A mechanism of action for the bacteriostatic effects of sucralose in the absence of sucrose has not been characterized. However, studies have revealed increased resistance to quinolone antibiotics, inhibitors of DNA gyrase, in bacterial strains grown in sub-inhibitory concentrations of sucralose. Here, we aim to investigate the mechanism of action of sucralose resistance in E. coli as it relates to quinolone resistance, by targeting the quinolone resistance‐determining region (QRDR) of the gyrA gene, the DNA-binding component of DNA gyrase. Our results reveal distinct phenotypic differences between non-sucralose resistant (NS) and high sucralose resistant (HS) strains, and that the HS strain phenotype is maintained in the absence of sucralose. Additionally, no mutations were found in the QRDR of the gyrA gene. Despite a lack of direct association between sucralose resistance and quinolone resistance in E. coli, our study provides insight into alternative mechanisms of action for sucralose resistance.

Author Biography

Sara Suna Dalkilic, University of British Columbia

Undergraduate student (B.Sc. Hons.), Department of Microbiology and Immunology

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Published

2020-09-09