Bacterial persistence: some new insights into an old phenomenon

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Molecular Biology
• Evolutionary Biology

Background:

• Bacterial persisters, a small fraction of antibiotic-tolerant cells, were discovered over 60 years ago.
• Their non-heritable and reversible tolerance distinguishes them from resistant mutants.
• Limited research for decades was due to the difficulty in isolating these rare cells.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a comprehensive overview of bacterial persistence.
• To highlight the significance of persistence in microbiology and infectious diseases.
• To underscore the need for continued research into persistence mechanisms.

Main Methods:

• Review of historical discoveries and research advancements in bacterial persistence.
• Discussion of proposed mechanisms involving toxin-antitoxin modules and alarmones.
• Exploration of the link between persistence and phenomena like phenotypic heterogeneity.

Main Results:

• High-persister (hip) mutants facilitated significant research progress since the 1980s.
• Persistence is increasingly understood as a result of stochastic switches in toxin-antitoxin module expression.
• The alarmone (p)ppGpp is also implicated in persister cell generation.

Conclusions:

• Bacterial persistence is a complex phenomenon involving stochastic gene expression.
• Understanding persistence is vital for developing new strategies against infectious diseases.
• Further exploration is essential to fully elucidate the precise mechanisms of bacterial persistence.