Molecular mechanism analysis of dormant cells causing refractory nature of bacterial infections

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K15134
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Bacteriology (including mycology)
• Research Institution: Waseda University
• Principal Investigator: TSUNEDA Satoshi 早稲田大学, 理工学術院, 教授 (30281645)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): OKUDA Shujiro 新潟大学, 大学院医歯学総合研究科, 准教授 (00512310)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 大腸菌 / 休止細菌 / マイクロアレイ / 感染症 / 抗生物質 / 乳酸デヒドロゲナーゼ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Non-dividing dormant bacteria that can survive in the presence of antibiotics by pausing their metabolic activity, cause the refractory nature of bacterial infections. Here we constructed the recombinant Escherichia coli strain generating a fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) signal from the polymerization of FtsZ (called the Z-ring) during cell division. Then, dormant cells and dividing cells were successfully separated based on the FRET signal using a fluorescence activated cell sorter. The dormant cells showed significantly higher tolerance toward ofloxacin than dividing cells. Transcriptional analysis revealed that the dormant cells promote lactate dehydrogenase to adapt to anaerobic metabolism. In addition, single cell analysis by use of a microfluidic device supported expression of lactate dehydrogenase induces dormant cells.

Free Research Field

環境微生物学