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J Bacteriol, April 1998, p. 1750-1758, Vol. 180, No. 7
0021-9193/98/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1998, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.

Characterization of the Starvation-Survival Response of Staphylococcus aureus

Sean P. Watson, Mark O. Clements, and Simon J. Foster*

Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, United Kingdom

Received 17 November 1997/Accepted 20 January 1998

The starvation-survival response of Staphylococcus aureus as a result of glucose, amino acid, phosphate, or multiple-nutrient limitation was investigated. Glucose and multiple-nutrient limitation resulted in the loss of viability of about 99 to 99.9% of the population within 2 days. The remaining surviving cells developed increased survival potential, remaining viable for months. Amino acid or phosphate limitation did not lead to the development of a stable starvation-survival state, and cells became nonculturable within 7 days. For multiple-nutrient limitation, the development of the starvation-survival state was cell density dependent. Starvation survival was associated with a decrease in cell size and increase in resistance to acid shock and oxidative stress. There was no evidence for the formation of a viable but nonculturable state during starvation as demonstrated by flow cytometry. Long-term survival of cells was dependent on cell wall and protein biosynthesis. Analysis of [35S]methionine incorporation and labelled proteins demonstrated that differential protein synthesis occurred deep into starvation.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Firth Court, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, United Kingdom. Phone: 44 114 2224411. Fax: 44 114 2728697. E-mail: s.foster{at}sheffield.ac.uk.




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