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Persister cells, dormancy and infectious disease.

Kim Lewis1

  • 1Antimicrobial Discovery Center, Department of Biology, Northeastern University, 360 Huntington Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA. k.lewis@neu.edu

Nature Reviews. Microbiology
|December 5, 2006
PubMed
Summary

Bacteria can enter a dormant state to survive infections and antibiotic treatments. This review explores the molecular mechanisms behind dormant persister cell formation, a key to solving major microbiology puzzles.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Bacterial Physiology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Decades-old microbiology puzzles include latent infections, unculturable bacteria, persister cells, and biofilm drug tolerance.
  • Emerging evidence links these phenomena to bacterial dormancy (non-dividing state).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the molecular mechanisms driving the formation of dormant persister cells.
  • To connect persister cell formation to broader challenges in microbiology.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of recent studies on bacterial dormancy and persister cell formation.
  • Analysis of molecular pathways involved in entering and maintaining the dormant state.

Main Results:

  • Dormancy is a key survival strategy for bacteria facing various stresses.

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  • Specific molecular mechanisms are being identified that regulate entry into the dormant persister state.

    • Conclusions:

    • Understanding persister cell formation is crucial for addressing latent infections and antibiotic resistance.
    • Further research into these molecular mechanisms could lead to novel therapeutic strategies.