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Review
. 2011 Oct;14(5):593-8.
doi: 10.1016/j.mib.2011.09.002. Epub 2011 Sep 19.

Heterogeneous bacterial persisters and engineering approaches to eliminate them

Kyle R Allison  1 , Mark P Brynildsen, James J Collins
Affiliations
Review

Heterogeneous bacterial persisters and engineering approaches to eliminate them

Kyle R Allison et al. Curr Opin Microbiol. 2011 Oct.

Abstract

Bacterial persistence is a state in which a subpopulation of cells (persisters) survives antibiotic treatment, and has been implicated in the tolerance of clinical infections and the recalcitrance of biofilms. There has been a renewed interest in the role of bacterial persisters in treatment failure in light of a wealth of recent findings. Here we review recent laboratory studies of bacterial persistence. Further, we pose the hypothesis that each bacterial population may contain a diverse collection of persisters and discuss engineering strategies for persister eradication.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. A plurality of persisters
Within a group of persisters, there may be significant diversity based on multiple, tolerance-conferring mechanisms. Membrane potential can be active (red) or reduced (green). DNA may be under active replication (orange circles) or not (green cicrles). Ribosomes (in blue) may be translating proteins or inhibited. Cell division is blocked in some cells. For example, cell a has normal translation, high membrane potential, but inhibited DNA synthesis, whereas cell b has inhibited translation, low membrane potential, active DNA replication, and stalled cell division.
Figure 2
Figure 2. Tuning tolerance-associated processes
Cells in a population have varied activity of a particular tolerance-associated process (red distribution). As a result, though most cells can be killed by an antibiotic, a portion of the population is persistent. By tuning the process, and thereby shifting its distribution (green dotted distribution), the persistent population can be made susceptible to an antibiotic.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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    1. Lewis K. Persister cells. Annu Rev Microbiol. 2010;64:357–372. These are both excellent recent reviews on bacterial persistence and the current state of the field.

    1. Lewis K. Persister cells, dormancy and infectious disease. Nat Rev Microbiol. 2007;5(1):48–56. - PubMed
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    1. Smith PA, Romesberg FE. Combating bacteria and drug resistance by inhibiting mechanisms of persistence and adaptation. Nat Chem Biol. 2007;3(9):549–556. - PubMed

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