The Normalcy of Dormancy: Common Themes in Microbial Quiescence

All microorganisms are exposed to periodic stresses that inhibit growth. Many bacteria and fungi weather these periods by entering a hardy, nonreplicating state, often termed quiescence or dormancy. When this occurs during an infection, the resulting slowly growing pathogen is able to tolerate both immune insults and prolonged antibiotic exposure. While the stresses encountered in a free-living environment may differ from those imposed by host immunity, these growth-limiting conditions impose common pressures, and many of the corresponding microbial responses appear to be universal. In this review, we discuss the common features of these growth-limited states, which suggest new approaches for treating chronic infections such as tuberculosis.