TY - GEN A1 - Nordholt, Niclas T1 - Heterogeneity in the bacterial response to disinfection and its impact on antibiotic tolerance and resistance N2 - The global rise of antibiotic resistance has made the proper use of disinfectants more important than ever. Their application in clinical l settings is an integral part of antibiotics stewardship by preventing the occurrence and spread of infections. However, improper use of disinfectants also harbours the risk for the evolution of tolerance and resistance to disinfectants, but also to antibiotics. It is therefore crucial to understand whether and how bacteria can survive chemical disinfection and which conditions facilitate the evolution of tolerance and resistance. Here, we study the heterogeneity in the response of isogenic E. coli populations exposed to different levels of commonly used disinfectants. At concentrations below the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC), we find that certain disinfectants induce prolonged lag times in individual cells, a phenotype that has been associated with persistence against antibiotics. At concentrations above the MIC, we find heterogeneous killing for a range of the tested substances. Interestingly, for the three cationic surfactants that were tested, we find kill kinetics revealing the presence of a tolerant subpopulation that can withstand disinfection longer than most of the population. We will present results from an ongoing evolution experiment in which we test the potential for evolution of population-wide tolerance and resistance through intermittent exposure to lethal doses of a cationic surfactant. T2 - New Approaches and Concepts in Microbiology CY - Heidelberg, Germany DA - 10.07.2019 KW - Persistence KW - Biocides KW - Resistance KW - heterogeneity KW - Bacteria PY - 2019 UR - https://opus4.kobv.de/opus4-bam/frontdoor/index/index/docId/48524 AN - OPUS4-48524 AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany