Viable but nonculturable
Viable but nonculturable (VBNC) bacteria refers to bacteria that are in a state of very low metabolic activity and do not divide, but are alive and have the ability to become culturable once resuscitated.[1]
Bacteria in a VBNC state cannot grow on standard growth media, though flow cytometry can measure the viability of the bacteria.[1] Bacteria can enter the VBNC state as a response to stress, due to adverse nutrient, temperature, osmotic, oxygen, and light conditions.[1] The cells that are in the VBNC state are morphologically smaller, and demonstrate reduced nutrient transport, rate of respiration, and synthesis of macromolecules.[1] Sometimes, VBNC bacteria can remain in that state for over a year.[1] It has been shown that numerous pathogens and non-pathogens can enter the VBNC state, and therefore it has significant implications in pathogenesis, bioremediation, and other branches of microbiology.[1]
The existence of the VBNC state is controversial. The validity and interpretation of the assays to determine the VBNC state have been questioned.[2]
VBNC pathogens
Species known to enter a VBNC state:[3]
- Aeromonas hydrophila
- Aeromonas salmonicida
- Agrobacterium tumefaciens
- Burkholderia cepacia
- Burkholderia pseudomallei
- Campylobacter coli
- Campylobacter jejuni
- Campylobacter lari
- Cytophaga allerginae
- Enterobacter aerogenes
- Enterobacter cloacae
- Enterococcus faecalis
- Enterococcus hirae
- Enterococcus faecium
- Erwinia amylovora
- Escherichia coli (including EHEC)
- Francisella tularensis
- Helicobacter pylori
- Klebsiella aerogenes
- Klebsiella pneumoniae
- Klebsiella planticola
- Legionella pneumophila
- Listeria monocytogenes
- Mycobacterium tuberculosis
- Mycobacterium smegmatis
- Pasteurella piscicida
- Pseudomonas aeruginosa
- Pseudomonas syringae
- Ralstonia solanacearum
- Rhizobium leguminosarum
- Rhizobium meliloti
- Salmonella enterica
- Salmonella typhi
- Salmonella typhimurium
- Serratia marcescens
- Shigella dysenteriae
- Shigella flexneri
- Shigella sonnei
- Streptococcus faecalis
- Vibrio alginolyticus
- Vibrio anguillarum
- Vibrio campbellii
- Vibrio cholerae
- Vibrio harveyi
- Vibrio mimicus
- Vibrio parahaemolyticus
- Vibrio shiloi
- Vibrio vulnificus (types 1 and 2)
- Xanthomonas campestris
- Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. citri
- Yersinia pestis[4]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Oliver JD (February 2005). "The viable but nonculturable state in bacteria". The Journal of Microbiology 43 (special issue (No. S)): 93–100. PMID 15765062.
- ↑ Stokell, Joshua R; Steck, Todd R (2012). "Viable but Nonculturable Bacteria". doi:10.1002/9780470015902.a0000407.pub2.
- ↑ Oliver, JD. (Jul 2010). "Recent findings on the viable but nonculturable state in pathogenic bacteria.". FEMS Microbiol Rev 34 (4): 415–25. doi:10.1111/j.1574-6976.2009.00200.x. PMID 20059548.
- ↑ Pawlowski, D. R.; Metzger, D. J.; Raslawsky, A; Howlett, A; Siebert, G; Karalus, R. J.; Garrett, S; Whitehouse, C. A. (2011). "Entry of Yersinia pestis into the viable but nonculturable state in a low-temperature tap water microcosm". PLoS ONE 6 (3): e17585. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0017585. PMC 3059211. PMID 21436885.