Birth and Resuscitation of (p)ppGpp Induced Antibiotic Tolerant Persister Cells.

ABSTRACT: Transient antibiotic treatment typically eradicates most sensitive bacteria except a few survivors called persisters. The second messenger (p)ppGpp plays a key role in persister formation in Escherichia coli populations but the underlying mechanisms have remained elusive. In this study we induced (p)ppGpp synthesis by modulating tRNA charging and then directly observed the stochastic appearance, antibiotic tolerance, and resuscitation of persister cells using live microscopy. Different physiological parameters of persister cells as well as their regularly growing ancestors and sisters were continuously monitored using fluorescent reporters. Our results confirmed previous findings that high (p)ppGpp levels are critical for persister formation, but the phenomenon remained strikingly stochast

SUBMITTER: Svenningsen MS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6465370 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature