Real-time evaluation of antibacterial efficacy using bioluminescent assays for Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: The emergence of antibiotic resistance necessitates effective strategies for evaluating antimicrobial agents. Bioluminescent bacteria, either naturally occurring or engineered with modified reporter genes like bacterial luciferase, provide real-time assessment of bacterial viability through light emission. We investigated the antibacterial effects of cefotaxime and doxycycline using bioluminescent strains of S. aureus and P. aeruginosa, combining optical density measurements with bioluminescence monitoring. Treatment with cefotaxime resulted in a significant reduction of the bioluminescent signal in P. aeruginosa compared to untreated controls, while doxycycline induced a delayed growth curve. Both antimicrobials demonstrated strong efficacy against S. aureus, as evidenced by decreased bioluminescence signals. Results from bioluminescence assays and classical minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration methods showed consistent alignment, validating the bioluminescence approach. This study demonstrates that bioluminescence-based methods offer a reliable, real-time alternative to traditional bacterial viability assays for evaluating antimicrobial efficacy.
Source: Frontiers in Microbiology
Authors: Manali Patil, Congyu Luo, Ganna Petruk, Jitka Petrlova, Artur Schmidtchen, Manoj Puthia
Institutions: Lund University, Malmö University, Skåne University Hospital
Language: English
Subfield: Molecular Biology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,801
OpenAlex ID: W4413803885