Insights into <i>Mycobacterium abscessus</i> survival under prolonged potassium deficiency and starvation.

ABSTRACT: Mycobacterium abscessus (Mab) is known for its ability to cause chronic infections, to be resistant to antimicrobial agents and to survive for extended periods in different non-replicative states (NRS), including persistence, dormancy or starvation. Functional metabolic pathways for Mab surviving in particular NRS caused by potassium depletion or by starvation, which are the conditions common in infected hosts or natural environments, remains unexplored. Dormant and starved Mab cultures were able to maintain viability, exhibiting decreased ³H-uracil incorporation and altered cell ultrastructure compared to actively growing cells. Specifically, dormant Mab populations were heterogeneous in the ability to cope with potassium deficiency, either maintaining very low or near-n

SUBMITTER: Grigorov AS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12689514 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature