Table 2.

Bacterial genes used as VBNC markers or required for the VBNC or resuscitation states

Gene	Species/genus	Stressor*	Putative PgW83 Homologues**	Putative Function	References
VBNC State
rpoS	E. coli, Salmonella	Starve,Osmol	RpoD (Pg0594)	RNA polymerase, sigma factor	[2,26,62]
oxyR	Vibrio	Oxidative,Temp	OxyR (Pg0270)	Redox-sensitive transcription factor	[2,63]
ahpC2	Vibrio	Temp	Pg0618	Alkyl hydroperoxide reductase C	[64]
perR	Campylobacter	Oxidative	Fur (Pg0465)	Ferric uptake transcription factor	[65]
envZ	E. coli	pH,Starve,	Pg1797	Sensor histidine kinase	[2,66]
		Osmol
ompR	E. coli	pH,Starve,	PprY (Pg1089)	DNA response regulator	[2,66]
		Osmol
VBNC Resuscitation
rpfA-E	Mycobacterium	Starve, Anoxia	none	Resuscitation-promoting factors	[2,19,23,67,68]
rpf	Rhodococcus	Starve, Temp	Pg0149	Resuscitation-promoting factor	[69,70]
pknB	Mycobacterium	Anoxia	Pg0778	Ser/Thr protein kinase	[2,71]
yeaZ (tsaB)	Vibrio	Temp	Pg1724	tRNA threonylcarbamoyladenosine synthesis	[68,72]
VBNC Markers
rfbE	E. coli	Starve	porR (Pg1138)	GDP-perosamine synthase	[73]
stx1,2	E. coli	Starve	none	Shiga toxin	[73,74]
pbp5	Enterococcus	Temp, Anoxia	Pg1393/Pg0575	D-alanyl-D-alanine decarboxypeptidase	[47]

* Starve: deionized water or nutrient-free salt solution Osmolarity: 7% NaCl

Oxidative: 1–2 mM H₂O₂ or 100 µM cumene hydroperoxide or 100 µM menadione; Anoxia: oxygen depletion (nonshaking or sealed flask)

Temperature: 4–5°C pH: 8.3

**The PgW83 putative homologues were identified using tblastn methodology at the NCBI site (https://blast.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Blast.cgi)