Assessing Pseudomonas aeruginosa Persister/antibiotic tolerant cells

Methods Mol Biol. 2014:1149:699-707. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4939-0473-0_54.

Abstract

Bacterial persistence, which is observed in a broad range of microbial species, is the capacity of a bacterial cell subpopulation called "persisters" to tolerate exposure to normally lethal concentrations of bactericidal antibiotics. This ability, which is not due to antibiotic-resistant mutants, has been implicated in antibiotic treatment failures and may account for latent, chronic, and relapsing infections. Antibiotic tolerant/Persister (AT/P) cells have been notoriously difficult to study due to their low frequency and transient nature. This chapter describes the main methods used to isolate and study Pseudomonas aeruginosa AT/P cells and discusses new technologies that may ease research of P. aeruginosa persisters in the near future.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology*
  • Colony Count, Microbial
  • Drug Resistance, Bacterial / drug effects*
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests / methods*
  • Microbial Viability
  • Mutation / genetics
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa / cytology*
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa / drug effects*
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa / growth & development
  • Reproducibility of Results

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents