Dormant cells of Staphylococcus aureus are resuscitated by spent culture supernatant.

ABSTRACT: We describe the first in vitro model of dormancy in Staphylococcus aureus, showing that cells are generated which can be resuscitated by addition of spent medium supernatant taken from cultures of the same organism. Over 30 days, culturable counts in dormant cultures of S. aureus SH1000 fell from 10(6)-10(7) cfu/ml to <10 cfu/ml as measured by the Most Probable Number method in liquid culture, while total counts as determined by microscopy, and supported by data from RT-qPCR, remained around 10(6)-10(7) cells/ml. Supplementing cultures with 25-50% spent medium resulted in a >600-fold increase in bacterial growth. Resuscitation was a specific effect, greatly reduced by boiling or addition of trypsin to the spent supernatant. Supernatant also effected a reduction in lag phase of dormant cult

SUBMITTER: Pascoe B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3921112 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature