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Published Online August 12, 2004
Science DOI: 10.1126/science.1099390

Reports

Submitted on April 21, 2004
Accepted on July 16, 2004

Bacterial Persistence as a Phenotypic Switch

Nathalie Q. Balaban 1, Jack Merrin 2, Remy Chait 2, Lukasz Kowalik 2, Stanislas Leibler 2

1 Laboratory of Living Matter, and Center for Studies in Physics and Biology, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10021, U.S.A.; Racah Institute for Physics, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem 91904, Israel.
2 Laboratory of Living Matter, and Center for Studies in Physics and Biology, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10021, U.S.A.

A fraction of a genetically homogeneous microbial population may survive exposure to stress such as antibiotic treatment. Unlike resistant mutants, cells re-grown from such persistent bacteria remain sensitive to the antibiotic. We investigated the persistence of single cells of Escherichia coli using microfluidic devices. Persistence was linked to pre-existing heterogeneity in bacterial populations as phenotypic switching occurred between normally growing cells and persister cells having reduced growth rates. Quantitative measurements led to a simple mathematical description of the persistence switch. Inherent heterogeneity of bacterial populations may be important in adaptation to fluctuating environments, and in the persistence of bacterial infections.


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