SOS Response Induces Persistence to Fluoroquinolones in Escherichia Coli

Overview

Journal PLoS Genet

Specialty Genetics

Date 2009 Dec 17

PMID 20011100

Citations 246

Authors

Tobias Dorr

Kim Lewis

Marin Vulic

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Bacteria can survive antibiotic treatment without acquiring heritable antibiotic resistance. We investigated persistence to the fluoroquinolone ciprofloxacin in Escherichia coli. Our data show that a majority of persisters to ciprofloxacin were formed upon exposure to the antibiotic, in a manner dependent on the SOS gene network. These findings reveal an active and inducible mechanism of persister formation mediated by the SOS response, challenging the prevailing view that persisters are pre-existing and formed purely by stochastic means. SOS-induced persistence is a novel mechanism by which cells can counteract DNA damage and promote survival to fluoroquinolones. This unique survival mechanism may be an important factor influencing the outcome of antibiotic therapy in vivo.

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