Specific Response of Bacterial Cells to β-Ionone

Abstract

The biological activity and mechanisms of action of the unsaturated ketone β-ionone, a volatile compound of significantinterest for biotechnology, medicine, and agriculture, were studied. Using specific lux biosensors basedon Escherichia coli MG1655, we found that β-ionone causes oxidative stress in E. coli cells by inducing expression from the PkatG and Pdps promoters, but not from the PsoxS promoter. The effects of β-ionone on the heat shock induction (expression from the PibpA and PgrpE promoters) and on DNA damage (expression from the PcolD and PdinI promoters, SOS response) in E. coli cells were significantly weaker. β-Ionone did not cause oxidative stress in the cells of the gram-positive bacterium Bacillus subtilis.