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Senescence can explain microbial persistence
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Senescence can explain microbial persistence

I Klapper, P Gilbert, B P Ayati, J Dockery and P S Stewart
Microbiology (Society for General Microbiology), Vol.153(Pt 11), pp.3623-3630
11/2007
DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.2007/006734-0
PMID: 17975070
url
https://doi.org/10.1099/mic.0.2007/006734-0View
Published (Version of record) Open Access

Abstract

It has been known for many years that small fractions of persister cells resist killing in many bacterial colony-antimicrobial confrontations. These persisters are not believed to be mutants. Rather it has been hypothesized that they are phenotypic variants. Current models allow cells to switch in and out of the persister phenotype. Here, a different explanation is suggested for persistence, namely senescence. Using a mathematical model including age structure, it is shown that senescence provides a natural explanation for persistence-related phenomena, including the observations that the persister fraction depends on growth phase in batch culture and dilution rate in continuous culture.
Phenotype Adaptation, Physiological Bacteria - growth & development Time Factors Culture Media Models, Biological Cell Division Bacteria - cytology Bacteria - drug effects Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology

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