Molecular mechanisms underlying bacterial persisters

TY - JOUR

T1 - Molecular mechanisms underlying bacterial persisters

AU - Maisonneuve, Etienne

AU - Gerdes, Kenn

PY - 2014/4/24

Y1 - 2014/4/24

N2 - All bacteria form persisters, cells that are multidrug tolerant and therefore able to survive antibiotic treatment. Due to the low frequencies of persisters in growing bacterial cultures and the complex underlying molecular mechanisms, the phenomenon has been challenging to study. However, recent technological advances in microfluidics and reporter genes have improved this scenario. Here, we summarize recent progress in the field, revealing the ubiquitous bacterial stress alarmone ppGpp as an emerging central regulator of multidrug tolerance and persistence, both in stochastically and environmentally induced persistence. In several different organisms, toxin-antitoxin modules function as effectors of ppGpp-induced persistence.

AB - All bacteria form persisters, cells that are multidrug tolerant and therefore able to survive antibiotic treatment. Due to the low frequencies of persisters in growing bacterial cultures and the complex underlying molecular mechanisms, the phenomenon has been challenging to study. However, recent technological advances in microfluidics and reporter genes have improved this scenario. Here, we summarize recent progress in the field, revealing the ubiquitous bacterial stress alarmone ppGpp as an emerging central regulator of multidrug tolerance and persistence, both in stochastically and environmentally induced persistence. In several different organisms, toxin-antitoxin modules function as effectors of ppGpp-induced persistence.

U2 - 10.1016/j.cell.2014.02.050

DO - 10.1016/j.cell.2014.02.050

M3 - Review

C2 - 24766804

SN - 0092-8674

VL - 157

SP - 539

EP - 548

JO - Cell

JF - Cell

IS - 3

ER -