Recent Advances on Multi-Parameter Flow Cytometry to Characterize Antimicrobial Treatments

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Cell Biology
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Understanding antimicrobial mechanisms is vital for developing new treatments and combating microbial resistance.
• Microbial populations under stress can develop distinct subpopulations, including viable but non-culturable (VBNC) cells.
• Single-cell analysis is crucial for understanding heterogeneous microbial responses.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review multi-parameter flow cytometry (MP-FCM) methodologies for assessing microbial physiological states after antimicrobial treatments.
• To highlight the integration of MP-FCM with other techniques for a comprehensive understanding of antimicrobial action.
• To provide insights into microbial sub-population dynamics under antimicrobial stress.

Main Methods:

• Review of MP-FCM techniques using individual and simultaneous cell staining.
• Analysis of microbial physiological states following physical and chemical antimicrobial treatments.
• Integration of MP-FCM data with complementary methods like plate counting, microscopy, spectroscopy, and molecular biology.

Main Results:

• MP-FCM enables high-speed, real-time, single-cell analysis of microbial damage.
• The technique effectively distinguishes between different microbial subpopulations, including VBNC cells.
• Combining MP-FCM with other methods provides deeper insights into antimicrobial mechanisms of action.

Conclusions:

• MP-FCM is a powerful tool for investigating antimicrobial mechanisms and microbial responses.
• Integrating MP-FCM with complementary techniques offers a robust approach to studying microbial physiology.
• This integrated approach is essential for advancing antimicrobial research and developing novel strategies.