The structural bases of long-term anabiosis in non-spore-forming bacteria

Dynamic phase microscopy, a new method to detect viable and killed spores and to estimate the heterogeneity of spore populations

“…As yet we have started from the most studied type of DF, such as bacillar endospores, but it is worth to extend the use of DPM for other types of microbial dormant cells, e.g., cyst-like cells of some non-spore-forming bacteria and archaea (Mulyukin et al, 1997;Suzina et al, 2006). Also, it is interesting to investigate in future whether DPM is applicable to detect microbial cells (or to appraise their physiological state) in desert soils, permafrost, rocks, and other objects regarded as analogues of extraterrestrial environments.…”

“…Previously, we described some approaches based on electron microscopy methods to discriminate vegetative, dormant, and dead cells in both aged microbial cultures and environmental samples (Suzina et al, 2006). The arsenal of microscopy methods reviewed in (Brehm-Stecher and Johnson, 2004) for experimental microscopy and monitoring studies, can be extended by dynamic phase microscopy (DPM) (Tychinsky, 2001).…”

Brine Assemblages of Ultrasmall Microbial Cells within the Ice Cover of Lake Vida, Antarctica

“…For example, Actinobacteria, including Arthrobacter (66,71) and Microbacterium (72), can be pleomorphic, meaning they can shift to ultrasmall cells during their life cycle. Likewise, unfavorable environmental conditions have been attributed to small cell size in Pseudomonas, Micrococcus, and Arthrobacter, which have been described with reduced cellular activity and size and a thick cellular envelope (73,74). Cyst-like resting cells from Arthrobacter globiformis isolated from Siberian permafrost were characterized as dwarf forms of 0.2 m in diameter, exhibiting a thick cell wall with an external capsular layer and low-electron-dense cytoplasm (66), similar to what we observed in this study with the Lake Vida ultrasmall microbial cells.…”

Alkylresorcinols Protect the DNA from UV-Damage In Vitro and In Vivo Models

“…So, these factors at a concentration of 10 -5 M, leading to the induction of stress response of bacterial cells [Golod et al, 2009], accompanied by the little activation of E.coli recA'::lux relative bioluminescence intensity. On the other hand, a high 10 -3 M concentration, leading to the formation of the bacterial cell anabiotic state [Suzina et al, 2006], caused intensive SOS-response depression. The intermediate AR concentration 10 -4 M caused a minimal change of this activity, making a best opportunity for the subsequent evaluation of the combined action of the studied factors.…”