The role of energy source or substrate in microbial hormesis

The hormetic dose–response has been frequently reported in a diverse set of microbial species. However, the role of energy source or substrate in microbial hormesis has not attracted enough attention. Here, we review recently published studies regarding the hormetic phenomena of exogenous chemicals’ effects on microbes under different energy/substrate conditions. Energy/substrate could regulate metabolic activity, population density, carbon catabolite repression pathway, or quorum sensing system to decide the survival strategies of microbes under exogenous stress, ultimately influencing the dose–response feature and even the occurrence of the hormetic phenomenon. This review highlights the key role of energy/substrate in microbial hormesis, which could not only provide a new insight into the investigation of hormetic effects in microbes but also promote the development of microbe-related fields.