Polyphosphate predicts and controls nanoparticle-induced antibiotic persistence

Intermittent exposure of Escherichia coli to 10× MIC AgNPs induces the formation of persister cells. This induction of persistence is driven by intracellular accumulation of polyphosphate (polyP). Moreover, a range of distinct nanomaterials, including CuNPs, ZnO NPs, Fe3O4 NPs, CeO2 NPs, and SiO2 NPs, were also found to trigger polyP-dependent persister formation. Importantly, intracellular polyP levels can serve as a predictive indicator of the proportion of persister cells induced by nanomaterial exposure.