Transcriptome analysis and prediction of the metabolic state of stress-induced viable but non-culturable Bacillus subtilis cells.

ABSTRACT: Many bacteria adapt their physiology and enter the viable but non-culturable state to survive prolonged exposure to adverse environmental conditions. The VBNC cells maintain active metabolism, membrane integrity and gene transcription. However, they lose the ability to form colonies on a conventional culture media. Thus, standard colony counting methods cannot detect these alive but dormant cells. The Gram-positive bacterium Bacillus subtilis was found to enter the VBNC state when pre-exposed to osmotic stress and treated with a lethal dose of kanamycin. These cells reduced their metabolic activity, ceased growth and division and became kanamycin-tolerant. Interestingly, despite active metabolism, the majority of the kanamycin tolerant cells could not be revived on LB agar. In this study,

SUBMITTER: Morawska LP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9605947 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature