Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 8, 2026
12:29
Population and Single-Cell Analysis of Antibiotic Persistence in Escherichia coli
Published on: March 24, 2023
2.6K
Enterococcus faecalis persists and replicates intracellularly within neutrophils
Claudia J Stocks1,2, Ronni A G da Silva1,3, Haris Antypas1
1Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore.
Infection and Immunity
|December 16, 2025
Summary
Enterococcus faecalis evades immune cells by surviving and replicating inside neutrophils, prolonging chronic wound infections. This neutrophil protection mechanism may contribute to persistent inflammation and biofilm infections.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Immunology
- Wound Healing
Background:
- Chronic wound infections pose a significant global health challenge.
- Enterococcus faecalis is a common pathogen in chronic wounds.
- The interaction between E. faecalis and neutrophils is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the interaction between E. faecalis and neutrophils in the context of chronic wound infections.
- To determine if neutrophils eliminate E. faecalis or provide a niche for its survival and replication.
Main Methods:
- Murine wound models and ex vivo wound cells were used to study E. faecalis-neutrophil interactions.
- Neutrophil lifespan assays were performed in vitro.
- Intracellular bacterial load was quantified using colony-forming units (CFU).
- Bacterial replication was assessed using fluorescent D-amino acid staining.
- Transmission electron microscopy and confocal microscopy were employed for visualization.
Main Results:
- Neutrophils harbored intracellular E. faecalis in murine wound beds and ex vivo wound cells.
- E. faecalis infection prolonged the lifespan of both murine and human neutrophils.
- E. faecalis replicated within neutrophils between 6 and 18 hours post-infection.
- Infected neutrophils remained immunologically active, secreting pro-inflammatory cytokines.
Conclusions:
- Neutrophils provide a niche for E. faecalis intracellular persistence and replication, rather than eliminating the pathogen.
- This intracellular lifestyle may contribute to the chronicity of E. faecalis wound infections and biofilm formation.
- Understanding this interaction could lead to novel therapeutic strategies for chronic wound infections.
Related Concept Videos
01:16Viral Replication: Lysogenic Cycle
1.2K
The lysogenic cycle is a crucial viral replication strategy that allows bacteriophages to persist within host cells without immediately destroying them. This process is primarily observed in temperate phages, such as bacteriophage lambda (λ), which infects Escherichia coli. The cycle allows the viral genome to persist across bacterial generations while keeping host cells viable.Integration of the Viral GenomeUpon infection, bacteriophage lambda attaches to the bacterial surface and injects...
1.2K
01:29Bacterial Phylum Chlamydiae
406
The phylum Chlamydiae or Chlamydiota is composed of a single order, Chlamydiales. This phylum consists entirely of obligate intracellular parasites that infect eukaryotic hosts. While human pathogens within this group have been studied extensively, the phylum encompasses many species capable of interacting with various eukaryotic organisms. Members of Chlamydiae are typically small cocci, approximately 0.5 μm in diameter, and exhibit a distinctive developmental cycle. As is characteristic...
406
01:23Stringent Response in E. coli
265
Bacterial growth is closely tied to nutrient availability, with cells proliferating exponentially under favorable conditions and entering a stationary phase when resources become scarce. This transition is mediated by a regulatory mechanism known as the stringent response, which allows bacteria to adapt to nutrient deprivation by modulating gene expression and metabolic activity.During nutrient scarcity, intracellular amino acid levels decline. It results in the accumulation of uncharged tRNAs...
265
01:31Defense Against Bacterial Pathogens
2.6K
The human immune system is a complex network of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to defend the body against bacterial infections. It consists of various immune cells, each playing a specific role in the defense mechanism.
Phagocytes
Phagocytes are the frontline soldiers of the immune system. They include neutrophils and macrophages. Neutrophils are the most abundant type of white blood cell and are quickly mobilized to the site of infection. Macrophages are larger cells that patrol...
Phagocytes
Phagocytes are the frontline soldiers of the immune system. They include neutrophils and macrophages. Neutrophils are the most abundant type of white blood cell and are quickly mobilized to the site of infection. Macrophages are larger cells that patrol...
2.6K
01:30Development of Antibiotic Resistance
1.1K
Antibiotic resistance is a major public health concern that arises when bacteria evolve mechanisms to withstand the effects of antibiotic treatments. This resistance can be intrinsic, acquired through genetic mutations, or transferred between bacteria via horizontal gene transfer. The development of antibiotic resistance poses significant challenges in treating bacterial infections and necessitates ongoing research to develop new therapeutic strategies.Intrinsic resistance occurs when bacterial...
1.1K
01:20Viral Replication: Lytic Cycle
1.1K
Bacteriophages, or phages, are viruses that specifically infect bacteria. Among them, T-even bacteriophages, such as T4, exhibit a well-characterized lytic replication cycle in Escherichia coli (E. coli). This process ensures the rapid proliferation of the virus while ultimately leading to the destruction of the bacterial host.Attachment and DNA InjectionThe infection process begins with the recognition and binding of the T4 phage to the E. coli cell surface. Tail fibers of the phage...
1.1K