Fig 7.
Different environmental stresses induce the VBNC state. (A) ATCC 19606T was incubated under high salt (●), anaerobiosis (▲), and heat (♦, 42°C) stress as well as (B) desiccation (■) and cold stress (▼). Cultivation conditions were described in Material and Methods. Culturability was determined by plating on LB plates at timepoints given. (C) Once culturability dropped below 100 CFU/mL, a resuscitation assay was performed. The stressor was removed by diluting cells 1:10 in sterile PBS. CFUs were determined directly after transfer (black bars) and after 2 days at 37°C (grey bars, C). Error bars denote the standard deviation of the mean derived from at least three independent biological replicates.