Fig. 6: Scavenging behavior promotes quiescence exit of the S/MAPK mutants.

Glutamate, ammonium chloride, or yeast extract was added twice a day to 3-day-old quiescent cultures (day 0) containing 4 × 10⁶ cells per mL at a 1/1500 dilution. The same volume of water was added as a control (mock). a Cell mass increase (OD_600nm) (upper panels) was followed up to day 3 after the first addition; CFUs (lower panels) was determined for up to 4 days after the first addition. The graph corresponds to a representative experiment out of three reproducible and independent ones. b DNA content analysis was determined by FACS on day 0, prior to nitrogen addition to 3-day-old quiescent cultures, and on day 3 after the first addition. The DNA content by FACS analysis at the intermediate time points of days 1 and 2 after addition are shown in Supplementary Fig. 3. c Fixed cells were stained with a DAPI-Calcofluor solution (1 µg/mL DAPI, 1 µg/mL p-phenylenediamine, 25 µg/mL Calcofluor white) to visualize the nuclei and the septum formation on days 0 and 3 after the first addition. The presented micrographs are representative of the situation observed in the field of 20 pictures each from three independent experiments.