PhoU is a persistence switch involved in persister formation and tolerance to multiple antibiotics and stresses in Escherichia coli.

ABSTRACT: When a bactericidal antibiotic is added to a growing bacterial culture, the great majority of the bacterial population is killed but a small number of metabolically quiescent bacteria called persisters survive antibiotic treatment. The mechanism of this bacterial persistence is poorly understood. In Escherichia coli, we identified a new persistence gene, phoU, whose inactivation leads to a generalized higher susceptibility than that of the parent strain to a diverse range of antibiotics, including ampicillin, norfloxacin, and gentamicin, and stresses, such as starvation, acid pH, heat, peroxide, weak acids, and energy inhibitors, especially in stationary phase. The PhoU mutant phenotype could be complemented by a functional phoU gene. Mutation in PhoU leads to a metabolically hyperactive s

SUBMITTER: Li Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1891003 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature