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Persisters: Methods for Isolation and Identifying Contributing Factors--A Review.
Sarah E Rowe1, Brian P Conlon1, Iris Keren1
1Antimicrobial Discovery Center, Department of Biology, Northeastern University, 134 Mugar Hall, 360 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
Methods in Molecular Biology (Clifton, N.J.)
|October 16, 2015
Summary
Persister cells survive lethal antibiotic doses, offering a survival strategy for bacterial populations. This chapter reviews methods for isolating these cells and discusses challenges in understanding how they form.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Bacteriology
- Antibiotic Resistance
Background:
- Persister cells are a subpopulation of bacteria that survive antibiotic treatment.
- These cells exhibit a dormant phenotype, contributing to treatment failure and relapse.
- Understanding persister cells is crucial for developing effective antimicrobial strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To summarize current techniques for isolating bacterial persister cells.
- To discuss the limitations and challenges in identifying the mechanisms of persister formation.
- To provide an overview of the field for researchers studying bacterial persistence.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on persister cell isolation.
- Analysis of common methodologies used in persister cell research.
- Discussion of experimental challenges and potential pitfalls.
Main Results:
- Several techniques exist for persister cell isolation, each with specific advantages and disadvantages.
- Identifying the precise molecular mechanisms underlying persister formation remains a significant challenge.
- Current methods may not fully capture the heterogeneity and complexity of persister populations.
Conclusions:
- Effective isolation of persister cells is essential for studying their biology.
- Further research is needed to overcome limitations in understanding persister formation mechanisms.
- Advances in this area could lead to novel therapeutic approaches against persistent bacterial infections.
