FIG. 6.
A model for tolerance and persister formation. (A) A toxin molecule such as an inhibitor of translation is produced, and cells that have a high level of this component due to random fluctuations of expression become persisters (B). (C) Antibiotic binds to its target (bottom), which generates a corrupted product (such as truncated peptides formed in the presence of aminoglycosides), leading to cell death. If a target is blocked by a toxic factor (top), then the antibiotic can bind, but will no longer corrupt the function, and the result is drug tolerance, allowing the cell to survive.