ArticleNature communications2021
Persistence against benzalkonium chloride promotes rapid evolution of tolerance during periodic disinfection.
Article in Nature communications, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 53 papers.
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Who cites it
53 citing papers in PubMed.
- Resistance to disinfection emerges inCurrent research in microbial sciences · 2026Article
- Population size modulates the transition from gene amplification-mediated heteroresistance to stable resistance.npj antimicrobials and resistance · 2026Article
- Contributions of persisters and the Eagle effect to survival ofMicrobiology spectrum · 2026Article
- Integrating multi-omics data with network modeling to characterizeJournal of bacteriology · 2026Article
- Biofilm-driven LPS remodeling and colanic acid overproduction mediate biocide adaptation and antibiotic cross-resistance in E. coli.npj antimicrobials and resistance · 2026Article
- Non-Cytotoxic Benzyl Triphenyl Phosphonium Bromide Is Bactericidal on MRSA and Fully Inhibits Biofilm Formation by MRSA and MRSE.Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Article
- Phenotypic and Genomic Profiling ofAntibiotics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Evaluation of homemade biodesinfectant solution based onOpen veterinary journal · 2026Article
- Dual-Function Sol-Gel Antibacterial Materials with Biphasic Octenidine Release for Decontamination and Long-Term Protection.ACS omega · 2026Article
- Stress-Driven Tolerance and Persistence ofBiology · 2026Review
- Consequences of benzalkonium chloride tolerance for selection dynamics and de novo resistance evolution driven by antibiotics.npj antimicrobials and resistance · 2026Article
- Mixed-species biofilms in food systems: from community assembly to ecology-informed management.Frontiers in microbiology · 2026Review
- Prevalence of mutations associated with tolerance to chlorhexidine and other cationic biocides amongMicrobiology (Reading, England) · 2025Article
- Label-Free Flow Cytometry: A Powerful Tool to Rapidly and Accurately Assess the Efficacy of Chemical Disinfectants.Microorganisms · 2025Article
- Reviewing the complexities of bacterial biocide susceptibility and in vitro biocide adaptation methodologies.npj antimicrobials and resistance · 2025Review
- Global prevalence and antibiotic resistance profiles of bacterial pathogens in table eggs: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Veterinary world · 2025Review
- Experimental evolution ofMicrobiology spectrum · 2025Article
- The Slow Pandemic: Emergence of Antimicrobial Resistance in the Postadvent of SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic.Global health, epidemiology and genomics · 2025Review
- Adaptations to cationic biocide exposure differentially influence virulence factors and pathogenicity inVirulence · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
Abstract
Biocides used as disinfectants are important to prevent the transmission of pathogens, especially during the current antibiotic resistance crisis. This crisis is exacerbated by phenotypically tolerant persister subpopulations that can survive transient antibiotic treatment and facilitate resistance evolution. Here, we show that E. coli displays persistence against a widely used disinfectant, benzalkonium chloride (BAC). Periodic, persister-mediated failure of disinfection rapidly selects for BAC tolerance, which is associated with reduced cell surface charge and mutations in the lpxM locus, encoding an enzyme for lipid A biosynthesis. Moreover, the fitness cost incurred by BAC tolerance turns into a fitness benefit in the presence of antibiotics, suggesting a selective advantage of BAC-tolerant mutants in antibiotic environments. Our findings highlight the links between persistence to disinfectants and resistance evolution to antimicrobials.
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