Viable but Nonculturable State of Yeast <i>Candida</i> sp. Strain LN1 Induced by High Phenol Concentrations
Mengqi Xie, Luning Xu, Rong Zhang, Yan Zhou, Yeyuan Xiao, Xiaomei Su, Chaofeng Shen, Faqian Sun, Muhammad Zaffar Hashmi, Hongjun Lin, Jianrong Chen
Abstract
The viable but nonculturable (VBNC) state is known to affect the culturability and activity of microorganisms. However, limited studies have been conducted to investigate the VBNC state of other pollutant degraders, such as fungi. In this study, the VBNC state of a phenol-degrading yeast strain was discovered. In addition, comprehensive analyses of the morphological, physiological, and molecular changes of VBNC cells were performed. This study provides new insight into the VBNC state of pollutant degraders and how they restored the activities that were inhibited under stressful conditions. Enhanced bioremediation performance of indigenous microorganisms could be expected by preventing and controlling the formation of the VBNC state.