Figure 1.

Expected dynamics in planktonic batch cultures.

A. A same isogenic bacterial population with two distinct phenotypes forming two subpopulations, normal (n) and persister (p) cells. a and b are the switching rates between the two phenotypes.

B. Expected dynamics of type I persisters during bacterial growth (Gefen and Balaban, 2009). The switching rate a is null during exponential growth (Exp. phase) and increases during stationary phase (Stat. phase) because of substrate limitation (stress). The initial persisters come from the inoculum used to start the batch culture.

C. Expected dynamics of type II persisters during bacterial growth (Gefen and Balaban, 2009). The switching rates are constant, and the number of persisters is proportional to the number of normal cells.