Objective To observe the effects of Fusobacterium nucleatum and microRNA-497(miR-497) on the proliferation, invasion and migration of colorectal cancer cells, and to analyze their regulatory relationships. Methods Colorectal cancer cell line HCT116 was transfected with miR-497 overexpression plasmid miR-497 mimic and was randomly divided into the infection index (MOI) 100 group, MOI 200 group, MOI 500 group, and MOI 1 000 group. They were co-cultured with Fusobacterium nucleatum with MOI of 100, 200, 500 and 1 000, respectively. Real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR was used to detect miR-497 in each group. The treatment concentration of the bacteria with the lowest expression of miR-497 was selected as the subsequent action concentration of Fusobacterium nucleatum. HCT116 cells were randomly divided into the control group, miR-497 over-expression group, miR-497 down-expression group, miR-497 over-expression negative control group and miR-497 down-expression negative control group, respectively. Cells in the control group were cultured without treatment. Cells in the miR-497 over-expression group, miR-497 down-expression group, over-expression negative control group, and down-expression negative control group were transfected with miR-497 mimics, miR497 inhibitor, mimic NC, and inhibitor NC, respectively, by Lipofectamine 2000. Cell proliferation ability was observed by CCK-8 assay, cell invasion ability was observed by Transwell assay, and cell migration ability was observed by Scratch healing assay. HCT116 cells were randomly divided into the control group, miR-497 over-expression group, overexpression negative control group, and over-expression + Fusobacterium nucleatum group, respectively. Cells in the control group were cultured without treatment, and cells in the miR-497 over-expression group were transfected with miR-497 mimic, while cells in the over-expression negative control group were transfected with mimic NC. After transfecting miR-497 mimic, cells in the overexpression + Fusobacterium nucleatum group were co-cultured with selected concentration of Fuso⁃ bacterium nucleatum. The cell proliferation ability was observed by CCK-8 assay, the cell invasion ability was observed by Transwell assay, and the cell migration ability was observed by Scratch healing assay. Results The miR-497 expression was as follows: MOI 100 group >MOI 200 group >MOI 500 group >MOI 1 000 group (all P<0. 05), and MOI 1 000 was selected as the subsequent action concentration of Fusobacterium nucleatum. Cell proliferation rate, the number of invasive cells and migration rate were as follows: miR-497 down-expression group > control group, overexpression negative control group, down-expression negative control group > miR-497 over-expression group (all P<0. 05). Cell proliferation rate, the number of invasive cells, and migration rate were as follows: miR-497 overexpression group < overexpression + Fusobacterium nucleatum group < control group, overexpression negative control group (all P<0. 05). Conclusion Fusobacterium nucleatum can promote the proliferation, invasion and migration of colorectal cancer cells through negative regulation of miR-497. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]