Changes in cell morphology and motility in the marine Vibrio sp Strain S14 during conditions of starvation and recovery

Cell morphology and motility of the marine Vibrio sp. strain S14 was monitored during multiple nutrient starvation for 16 days and subsequent recovery. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that, by 16 days of starvation, 97% of the cells had lost motility due to shedding of the flagellum from the cell. Cell morphology revealed that nutrient recovery after long-term starvation, was a heterogeneous response within the population. Within the first hour of nutrient supplementation, 20% of cells regained motility due to resynthesis of the flagellum and motile numbers increased by another 20% over the next 2.5 h by which time approx. 40% of total cell numbers had recovered plate culturability. Within 3.5 h of recovery, the majority of cells had resumed cell size equal to that of growing cells and a minority of total cell numbers remained as unresponsive microcells; This study illustrates that cells within a population respond heterogeneously during long-term starvation as well as nutrient recovery.