Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology (Oct 2020)

Campylobacter jejuni 11168H Exposed to Penicillin Forms Persister Cells and Cells With Altered Redox Protein Activity

  • Helen Morcrette,
  • Andrea Kovacs-Simon,
  • Richard K. Tennant,
  • John Love,
  • Sariqa Wagley,
  • Zheng R. Yang,
  • David J. Studholme,
  • Orkun S. Soyer,
  • Olivia L. Champion,
  • Clive S. Butler,
  • Richard W. Titball

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fcimb.2020.565975
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 10

Abstract

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The formation of persister cells is one mechanism by which bacteria can survive exposure to environmental stresses. We show that Campylobacter jejuni 11168H forms persister cells at a frequency of 10−3 after exposure to 100 × MIC of penicillin G for 24 h. Staining the cell population with a redox sensitive fluorescent dye revealed that penicillin G treatment resulted in the appearance of a population of cells with increased fluorescence. We present evidence, to show this could be a consequence of increased redox protein activity in, or associated with, the electron transport chain. These data suggest that a population of penicillin G treated C. jejuni cells could undergo a remodeling of the electron transport chain in order to moderate membrane hyperpolarization and intracellular alkalization; thus reducing the antibiotic efficacy and potentially assisting in persister cell formation.

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