Cited by 2,052Bacterial Genetics and BiotechnologyBacterial biofilms and quorum sensingAntimicrobial Resistance in Staphylococcus

Persister cells, dormancy and infectious disease

Lewis, Kim·2007·Nature Reviews Microbiology

Abstract

Several well-recognized puzzles in microbiology have remained unsolved for decades. These include latent bacterial infections, unculturable microorganisms, persister cells and biofilm multidrug tolerance. Accumulating evidence suggests that these seemingly disparate phenomena result from the ability of bacteria to enter into a dormant (non-dividing) state. The molecular mechanisms that underlie the formation of dormant persister cells are now being unravelled and are the focus of this Review.

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Registry

Crossref · 10.1038/nrmicro1557

Cites

76 of 76 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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  • Persistence is always linked to cell dormancy, a state in which cellular metabolism temporarily ceases.

    “Persistence is always linked to cell dormancy, a state in which the cellular metabolism temporarily ceases [111,123,124].”
  • Antifungal resistance is linked to specific molecular mechanisms and can be stably inherited by progeny.

    “In contrast, resistance is linked to specific molecular mechanisms and can be stably inherited by progeny [15,17–19].”

    From Antifungal persistence: Clinical relevance and mechanisms (2025) · cites this paper as [18]

  • Antifungal persistence is non-heritable, although progeny of persisters may still divide into persistent and non-persistent subpopulations.

    “Thirdly, antifungal persistence is non-heritable, although the progeny of persisters may still divide into persistent subpopulations and non-persistent subpopulations.”

    From Antifungal persistence: Clinical relevance and mechanisms (2025) · cites this paper as [18]

  • Dormant state reduces exposure of antibiotic targets and helps bacterial cells tolerate a variety of antibiotics, a process linked to the toxin-antitoxin system.

    “It has been well studied that dormant state reduces the exposure of antibiotic targets and helps bacterial cells tolerate a variety of antibiotics, a process linked to the toxin-antitoxin system [18,54].”

    From Antifungal persistence: Clinical relevance and mechanisms (2025) · cites this paper as [18]

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Authors
Lewis, K.
Affiliations
Northeastern University (US)
Corresponding author
Lewis, Kim
Venue
Nature Reviews Microbiology
Published
2006-12-04
Volume
5
Issue
1
Pages
48-56
ISSN
  • 1740-1526 (ISSN-L)
  • 1740-1534
OpenAlex
W2045825103
Cited by
2,052
References
77
Citations by year
2026: 101 · 2025: 98 · 2024: 104 · 2023: 116 · 2022: 126 · 2021: 129 · 2020: 127 · 2019: 132 · 2018: 122 · 2017: 100 · 2016: 120 · 2015: 130 · 2014: 94 · 2013: 104 · 2012: 108
FWCI
5.90
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Nature Reviews Microbiology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
National Institutes of Health
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Bacterial Genetics and Biotechnology
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Bacterial biofilms and quorum sensing
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › Antimicrobial Resistance in Staphylococcus
Keywords
persister cells, bacterial dormancy, antibiotic tolerance, persistent infection, unculturable microorganisms, multidrug tolerance
MeSH terms
Adaptation, Physiological, Anti-Bacterial Agents, Bacteria, Bacterial Infections, Drug Tolerance, Genes, Bacterial, Humans, Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial, Bacterial Physiological Phenomena, Biofilms, Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial, Microbial Viability

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