Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 31, 2026
07:25
High-throughput Screening of Chemical Compounds to Elucidate Their Effects on Bacterial Persistence
Published on: February 23, 2021
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The SOS Response: A Double-Edged Sword between the Persister and Resister Formation
Kushala Ravikumar1, Krishna Kurthkoti1
1Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology, School of Bioscience, Chanakya University Bengaluru 562165, India.
ACS Omega
|March 30, 2026
Summary
The bacterial SOS response links antimicrobial resistance and persister cell formation. Targeting SOS regulators offers a novel strategy to combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and its evolution.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
Background:
- Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing threat, accelerated by antimicrobial use.
- Bacterial persister cells, a dormant subpopulation, contribute significantly to AMR.
- The bacterial SOS response, triggered by DNA damage, promotes resistance via mutations and gene transfer.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the role of the SOS response in linking antimicrobial resistance and persistence.
- To evaluate therapeutic strategies targeting SOS regulators for combating AMR.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on bacterial SOS response, AMR, and persistence.
- Analysis of the shared regulatory mechanisms between SOS, resistance, and persistence.
- Evaluation of potential therapeutic targets within the SOS pathway.
Main Results:
- The SOS response acts as a unifying mechanism for both resistance and persistence.
- SOS regulators (RecA, LexA) and DNA damage responders are key players.
- Toxin-antitoxin modules are implicated in persister formation via SOS.
Conclusions:
- Targeting SOS regulators presents a promising antievolutionary approach against AMR.
- Understanding the interplay between SOS, resistance, and persistence is crucial for developing new therapies.
- Early-stage therapeutic strategies focus on SOS regulators and stress response pathways.
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