Effects of long-term starvation on mycobacterial growth

Abstract

Mycobacteria are a genus of bacteria known for their acid-fast cell walls and their resiliency under stressful conditions. In unfavorable growth conditions, mycobacteria often undergo physiological changes in order to adapt to a harsher environment. In this study, over 70 non-pathogenic mycobacterial species were subjected to long-term starvation. An analysis of how mycobacteria respond to nutrient deprivation is necessary to further understand the processes allowing for long periods of latency in some mycobacterial species. To determine how starvation affects mycobacterial growth over time, bacterial growth was measured after one month, five months, one year and one and a half years in media that allowed for gradual starvation. Growth trends will continue to be analyzed for a total of ten years to identify which species are capable of surviving prolonged nutrient deprivation. The results obtained from the first four time points revealed four main growth trends: continuous increase despite lack of nutrients, gradual decline in viability, constant population size, and fluctuations in growth.