Phenotypic and transcriptional characterization of F. tularensis LVS during transition into a viable but non-culturable state

• DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1347488
• Publication Date: 2024-02-06T05:04:39Z
• Authors: Stuart Cantlay; Nicole L. Garrison; Rachelle Patterson; Kassey Wagner; Zoei Kirk; Jun Fan; Donald A. Primerano; Mara L. G. Sullivan; Jonathan M. Franks; Donna B. Stolz; Joseph Horzempa
• Keywords: viable but non-culturable (VBNC); transcriptomics; bacterial physiology; 0303 health sciences; 03 medical and health sciences; host-microbe interaction; RNA-Seq; Francisella tularensis; Microbiology; QR1-502

Francisella tularensis is a gram-negative, intracellular pathogen which can cause serious, potentially fatal, illness in humans. Species of F. are found across the Northern Hemisphere and infect broad range host species, including Factors affecting persistence environment its epidemiology not well understood, however, ability to enter viable but non-culturable state (VBNC) may be important. A bacteria, many pathogens, have been observed VBNC response stressful environmental conditions, such as nutrient limitation, osmotic or oxidative stress low temperature. To investigate transition into for , we analyzed attenuated live vaccine strain, LVS grown under standard laboratory conditions. We that rapidly spontaneously enters broth culture at 37°C this coincides with morphological differentiation cells. The bacteria retained an interact both murine macrophages human erythrocytes vitro assays were insensitive treatment gentamicin. Finally, present first transcriptomic analysis revealed clear differences gene expression, identify sets differentially regulated genes specific state. Identification these will pave way future research aimed dissecting molecular mechanisms driving entry