Emergence of Small Colony Variants Is an Adaptive Strategy Used by Pseudomonas aeruginosa to Mitigate the Effects of Redox Imbalance
Alison Besse, Marie‐Christine Groleau, Éric Déziel
Abstract
The bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen that thrives in many environments. It poses a significant health concern, notably because it is a causative agent of nosocomial infections and the most prevalent pathogen found in the lungs of people with cystic fibrosis. In infected hosts, its persistence is often related to the emergence of an alternative phenotype known as small colony variant (SCV). Identification of conditions selecting for the SCV phenotype contributes to knowledge regarding adaptive mechanisms exploited by P. aeruginosa to survive in multiple niches and persist during infections. Hindering this adaptation strategy could help control persistent P. aeruginosa infections.