Heterogeneity as an adaptive trait of microbial populations

The review deals with heterogeneity of bacterial populations, a superorganismic characteristic providing for their adaptation to environmental conditions at the population-communication level. This phenomenon attracts increasing attention as an example of collective forms of microbial behavior and the mechanisms of cell survival in communities. Heterogeneity of bacterial populations may be discrete or continuous and may result from both phenotypic and genotypic variations. Heterogeneity of microbial cells results from the interaction of internal and environmental factors, as well as from random fluctuations of the biochemical and physiological characteristics. Cell heterogeneity improves the survival of bacterial populations under heterogeneous or variable environmental conditions, as well as under the effect of stress factors. This phenomenon should be taken into account for the development of strategies for cultivation of the biotechnologically important microorganisms and for the rational therapy of infections.