Research Article

Levels of persisters influenced by aeration in Acinetobacter calcoaceticus–baumannii

Bruna Kern Donamore

PUCRS, Escola de Ciências, Laboratório de Imunologia e Microbiologia, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil

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Stephanie Wagner Gallo

PUCRS, Escola de Ciências, Laboratório de Imunologia e Microbiologia, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil

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Pedro Maria Abreu Ferreira

PUCRS, Escola de Ciências, Programa de Pós-graduação em Zoologia, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil

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Carlos Alexandre Sanchez Ferreira

PUCRS, Escola de Ciências, Laboratório de Imunologia e Microbiologia, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil

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Sílvia Dias de Oliveira

*Author for correspondence: Tel.: +55 51 3353 4953; Fax: +55 51 3320 3568;

E-mail Address: silviadias@pucrs.br

PUCRS, Escola de Ciências, Laboratório de Imunologia e Microbiologia, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil

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Published Online:5 Jan 2018https://doi.org/10.2217/fmb-2017-0153

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Abstract

Aim: To evaluate the influence of aeration on persister levels from Acinetobacter calcoaceticus–baumannii isolates exposed to meropenem or tobramycin, as well as analyze morphological and structural changes in persisters. Materials & methods: Levels of persisters were determined after a 48-h exposure to tobramycin or meropenem under aerated or static conditions, and persisters were analyzed by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Results: The fractions of persisters varied between isolates. Aeration reduced cell survival under each antibiotic treatment, and cell survival decreased as the tobramycin concentration was increased. Interestingly, division septa were observed in persisters by electron microscopy. Conclusion: Aeration may have stimulated bacterial growth, providing more targets for antibiotic action and leading to increased production of reactive oxygen species, which decreased levels of persisters.

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Vol. 13, No. 2

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Received 20 July 2017

Accepted 18 September 2017

Published online 5 January 2018

Published in print February 2018

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Supplementary data

To view the supplementary data that accompany this paper please visit the journal website at: www.futuremedicine.com/doi/suppl/10.2217/fmb-2017-0153.

Acknowledgements

The authors thank VE Pagnussati for providing the Acinetobacter calcoaceticus–baumannii isolates, to all other laboratory colleagues for the helpful technical assistance and LabCEMM for preparing and assisting in the interpretation of microscopic analyses.

Financial & competing interest disclosure

This study was supported by Academic Excellence Program (PROEX-CAPES). BK Donamore received a scholarship from CAPES, Brazil. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial interests in or financial conflicts with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Ethical conduct of research

The authors state that they have obtained appropriate institutional review board approval or have followed the principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki for all human or animal experimental investigations. In addition, for investigations involving human subjects, informed consent has been obtained from the participants involved.

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