Soil, composed mainly of minerals, plays a central role in the circulation of microbial pathogens in the environment. Herein, the growth, biofilm formation, and virulence gene expression of the pathogenic bacteria Escherichia coli O157:H7 were monitored following exposure to montmorillonite, kaolinite, and goethite, three common soil minerals in the clay size fraction. E. coli O157:H7 growth was notably promoted (P < 0.05), while biofilm formation was inhibited in the presence of montmorillonite (P < 0.05), which is attributed to the suppression of colanic acid (CA) production and an increase in bacterial motility. Kaolinite not only promoted bacterial growth (P < 0.05), but also contributed to biofilm formation upon stimulating CA production. Upon exposure to goethite, notably slower bacterial growth and higher biomass of biofilm were observed as compared to the control (P < 0.05). Goethite stimulated the synthesis of CA to encase cells in a protective biofilm in response to the tight association between bacteria and goethite, which could cause bacterial death. Additionally, the transcription of virulence factors (stxA-1 and stxA-2) was significantly decreased in goethite or kaolinite system (P < 0.05). These findings indicate that minerals play important roles in the physiological state of bacteria and ultimately govern the fate of this pathogen in soils.
This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 6. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 25 September 2018.
All research outputs
#6,943,844
of 26,855,855 outputs
Outputs from Environmental Pollution
#2,752
of 14,031 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#107,703
of 351,219 outputs
Outputs of similar age from Environmental Pollution
#60
of 314 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 26,855,855 research outputs across all sources so far. This one has received more attention than most of these and is in the 74th percentile.
So far Altmetric has tracked 14,031 research outputs from this source. They typically receive more attention than average, with a mean Attention Score of 8.1. This one has done well, scoring higher than 80% of its peers.
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We're also able to compare this research output to 314 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one has done well, scoring higher than 80% of its contemporaries.
