Bacterial persisters represent a small dynamic subpopulation of phenotypically variant, slowly or non-growing cells within an isogenic bacterial population. Persisters of pathogenic bacteria are causative of chronic or relapsing infections due to inherent tolerance to single or multiple antibiotics. Genes associated with the persister state are often parts of toxinantitoxin systems. Understanding the roles of antibiotics, reactive oxygen species and possibly quorum sensing molecules in bacterial persistence is just emerging.
展开▼
