Description of a "Phoenix" phenomenon in the growth of Campylobacter jejuni at temperatures close to the minimum for growth

Kelly, A.F., Martinez-Rodriguez, A., Bovill, R.A. and Mackey, B.M. (2003) Description of a "Phoenix" phenomenon in the growth of Campylobacter jejuni at temperatures close to the minimum for growth. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 69 (8). pp. 4975-4978. ISSN 0099-2240 doi: 10.1128/aem.69.8.4975-4978.2003

Abstract/Summary

When Campylobacter jejuni cultures that had been grown in broth at 39degreesC were subcultured into fresh medium at 30degreesC, there was a transient period of growth followed by a decline in viable-cell numbers before growth resumed once more. We propose that this complex behavior is the net effect of the growth of inoculum cells followed by a loss of viability due to oxidative stress and the subsequent emergence of a spontaneously arising mutant population that takes over the culture.