title: Is bacterial persistence a social trait?
abstract: The ability of bacteria to evolve resistance to antibiotics has been much reported in recent years. It is less well-known that within populations of bacteria there are cells which are resistant due to a non-inherited phenotypic switch to a slow-growing state. Although such 'persister' cells are receiving increasing attention, the evolutionary forces involved have been relatively ignored. Persistence has a direct benefit to cells because it allows survival during catastrophes-a form of bet-hedging. However, persistence can also provide an indirect benefit to other individuals, because the reduced growth rate can reduce competition for limiting resources. This raises the possibility that persistence is a social trait, which can be influenced by kin selection. We develop a theoretical model to investigate the social consequences of persistence. We predict that selection for persistence is increased when: (a) cells are related (e.g. a single, clonal lineage); and (b) resources are scarce. Our model allows us to predict how the level of persistence should vary with time, across populations, in response to intervention strategies and the level of competition. More generally, our results clarify the links between persistence and other bet-hedging or social behaviours.
authors: St John's College, Oxford University, Oxford, United Kingdom. andy.gardner@ed.ac.uk
authors: Andy
authors: A
authors: Gardner
authors: Stuart A
authors: SA
authors: West
authors: Ashleigh S
authors: AS
authors: Griffin
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005075:Biological Evolution; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial / Q000502:physiology; D008954:Models, Biological; D011157:Population Dynamics; D013269:Stochastic Processes
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents
references: Science. 2004 Sep 10;305(5690):1622-5
references: 15308767
references: FEMS Microbiol Lett. 2004 Jan 15;230(1):13-8
references: 14734160
references: Nat Rev Microbiol. 2006 Aug;4(8):577-87
references: 16845428
references: J Theor Biol. 1964 Jul;7(1):1-16
references: 5875341
references: Curr Biol. 2001 Nov 13;11(22):1810-4
references: 11719226
references: Science. 2002 Apr 5;296(5565):72-5
references: 11935015
references: Genetics. 2005 Apr;169(4):1807-14
references: 15687275
references: Q Rev Biol. 1996 Mar;71(1):37-78
references: 8919665
references: Nature. 2000 Apr 6;404(6778):555-6
references: 10766222
references: J Evol Biol. 2007 Mar;20(2):415-32
references: 17305808
references: Nature. 1970 Dec 19;228(5277):1218-20
references: 4395095
references: Annu Rev Entomol. 2006;51:581-608
references: 16332224
references: Microbiol Mol Biol Rev. 2000 Sep;64(3):503-14
references: 10974124
references: EMBO Rep. 2004 May;5(5):470-6
references: 15184977
references: J Theor Biol. 1998 Sep 21;194(2):195-204
references: 9778433
references: J Evol Biol. 2006 Sep;19(5):1707-16
references: 16911000
references: Trends Ecol Evol. 1989 Feb;4(2):41-4
references: 21227310
references: Nat Rev Microbiol. 2007 Jan;5(1):48-56
references: 17143318
references: Mol Microbiol. 2006 Aug;61(3):560-3
references: 16879638
references: PLoS Biol. 2006 Sep;4(9):e299
references: 16968138
references: Nat Rev Microbiol. 2006 Apr;4(4):249-58
references: 16501584
references: J Appl Microbiol. 2003;95(6):1261-7
references: 14633000
references: Nat Rev Microbiol. 2006 Jul;4(7):556-62
references: 16778840
references: Science. 2004 Sep 10;305(5690):1578-9
references: 15361616
references: Nature. 2004 Aug 26;430(7003):1024-7
references: 15329720
references: Nat Rev Microbiol. 2006 Aug;4(8):597-607
references: 16845430
references: Nat Rev Microbiol. 2006 Feb;4(2):113-20
references: 16415927
references: Nature. 2006 May 18;441(7091):300-2
references: 16710410
references: Am Nat. 2006 Aug;168(2):E53-71
references: 16874623
references: Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2005 Apr;49(4):1483-94
references: 15793130
references: J Bacteriol. 1944 Oct;48(4):393-9
references: 16560845
references: Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 1986 May;29(5):797-802
references: 3089141
references: Annu Rev Microbiol. 1998;52:81-104
references: 9891794
references: Mol Microbiol. 2006 Aug;61(3):564-72
references: 16879639
references: J Exp Med. 1949 Dec;90(6):595-607
references: 15394076