New research from the University of Exeter into the molecular makeup of viable but non culturable (VBNC) cells has found that lactate dehydrogenase has a role in maintaining bacterial dormancy and resuscitation back to an active form.
The team’s research focused on Vibrio parahaemolyticus, a marine bacterium that can cause gastroenteritis in humans when eaten in raw or undercooked shellfish such as oysters and mussels.
"Most of these bacteria die when they encounter poor growth conditions, but we identified sub-populations of bacteria that are able to stay dormant for long periods of time," explained Sariqa Wagley, lead author of a paper published in PLOS Pathogens last week.
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It was determined that distinct subpopulations of bacteria exist in the VBNC state and these have different resuscitation potentials and distinct proteomic profiles. The team also found that deletion of the gene encoding the enzyme lactate dehydrogenase triggered the cells to enter the VBNC state, and adding lactate to VBNC cells extended their resuscitation potential window.