Normal and slow growth states of microbial populations in essential resource-based chemostat

Abstract

To mimic the striking capability of microbial culture for growthadaptation after the onset of the novel environmental conditions, amodified heterogeneous microbial population model in the chemostatwith essential resources is proposed which considers adaptation byspontaneously phenotype-switching between normally growing cells andpersister cells having reduced growth rate. A basic reproductivenumber $R_0$ is introduced so that the population dies out when$R_01$ the population will be asymptotic to asteady state of persister cells, or a steady state of only normalcells, or a steady state corresponding to a heterogeneous populationof both normal and persister cells. Our analysis confirms thatinherent heterogeneity of bacterial populations is important inadaption to fluctuating environments and in the persistence ofbacterial infections.