Somova L.M., Drobot E.I., Lyapun I.N., Pustovalov E.V., Matosova E.V., Shchelkanov M. YU.
Byulleten' eksperimental'noj biologii i mediciny 2021; 172(12): 724-728
One of the reasons for the occurrence of chronic infections is the ability of pathogens to pass into a non-cultivated state, which is largely associated with the use of antibiotics. This article presents new data on the ultrastructure of dormant bacteria Yersinia pseudotuberculosis obtained from the vegetative form of strain 512 by inhibition with kanamycin. It was shown for the first time on the model of the causative agent of pseudotuberculosis that the transition of prokaryotes to a dormant state is carried out through apoptosis of bacteria. In the cytoplasm of inhibited bacterial cells in the nucleoid zone, fragmentation and condensation of chromatin with the formation of electron-dense fibrils, clumps and large conglomerates characteristic of apoptosis were found. The obtained results are of great importance for understanding the mechanisms of the existence of pathogens in different habitat conditions, as well as for identifying the causative agents of infectious diseases.
