A problem of persistence: still more questions than answers?

Nathalie Q. Balaban; Kenn Gerdes; Kim Lewis; John D. McKinney

doi:10.1038/nrmicro3076

A problem of persistence: still more questions than answers?

Nathalie Q. Balaban, Kenn Gerdes, Kim Lewis, John D. McKinney

161 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The current antibiotic resistance crisis has led to increased pressure to prioritize strategies to tackle the issue, with a strong focus being placed on the development of novel antimicrobials. However, one major obstacle that is often overlooked is persister cells, which are refractory to antibiotic treatment. Tackling persistence is a challenge because these cell types are extremely difficult to study and, consequently, little is known about their physiology and the factors that lead to their emergence. Here, four experts contemplate the main physiological features that define persistence and the implications of persistence for antibiotic treatment regimens, and consider what the study of bacterial persistence has taught us about the heterogeneity of bacterial populations.

Original language	English
Journal	Nature Reviews. Microbiology
Volume	11
Issue number	8
Pages (from-to)	587-591
Number of pages	5
ISSN	1740-1526
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/nrmicro3076
Publication status	Published - Aug 2013
Externally published	Yes

Access to Document

10.1038/nrmicro3076

Cite this

@article{b760e8e4cf174d898448c3d3754c0390,

title = "A problem of persistence: still more questions than answers?",

abstract = "The current antibiotic resistance crisis has led to increased pressure to prioritize strategies to tackle the issue, with a strong focus being placed on the development of novel antimicrobials. However, one major obstacle that is often overlooked is persister cells, which are refractory to antibiotic treatment. Tackling persistence is a challenge because these cell types are extremely difficult to study and, consequently, little is known about their physiology and the factors that lead to their emergence. Here, four experts contemplate the main physiological features that define persistence and the implications of persistence for antibiotic treatment regimens, and consider what the study of bacterial persistence has taught us about the heterogeneity of bacterial populations.",

author = "Balaban, {Nathalie Q.} and Kenn Gerdes and Kim Lewis and McKinney, {John D.}",

year = "2013",

month = aug,

doi = "10.1038/nrmicro3076",

language = "English",

volume = "11",

pages = "587--591",

journal = "Nature Reviews Microbiology",

issn = "1740-1526",

publisher = "nature publishing group",

number = "8",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - A problem of persistence

T2 - still more questions than answers?

AU - Balaban, Nathalie Q.

AU - Gerdes, Kenn

AU - Lewis, Kim

AU - McKinney, John D.

PY - 2013/8

Y1 - 2013/8

N2 - The current antibiotic resistance crisis has led to increased pressure to prioritize strategies to tackle the issue, with a strong focus being placed on the development of novel antimicrobials. However, one major obstacle that is often overlooked is persister cells, which are refractory to antibiotic treatment. Tackling persistence is a challenge because these cell types are extremely difficult to study and, consequently, little is known about their physiology and the factors that lead to their emergence. Here, four experts contemplate the main physiological features that define persistence and the implications of persistence for antibiotic treatment regimens, and consider what the study of bacterial persistence has taught us about the heterogeneity of bacterial populations.

AB - The current antibiotic resistance crisis has led to increased pressure to prioritize strategies to tackle the issue, with a strong focus being placed on the development of novel antimicrobials. However, one major obstacle that is often overlooked is persister cells, which are refractory to antibiotic treatment. Tackling persistence is a challenge because these cell types are extremely difficult to study and, consequently, little is known about their physiology and the factors that lead to their emergence. Here, four experts contemplate the main physiological features that define persistence and the implications of persistence for antibiotic treatment regimens, and consider what the study of bacterial persistence has taught us about the heterogeneity of bacterial populations.

U2 - 10.1038/nrmicro3076

DO - 10.1038/nrmicro3076

M3 - Journal article

SN - 1740-1526

VL - 11

SP - 587

EP - 591

JO - Nature Reviews Microbiology

JF - Nature Reviews Microbiology

IS - 8

ER -