Isolation of a Vibrio cholerae transposon-mutant with an altered viable but nonculturable response.

We have isolated more than 2500 mutants of Vibrio cholerae by using transposon mutagenesis. Mutants were screened under low nutrient conditions in artificial seawater for an altered viable but nonculturable response, compared to the wild-type. Mutant JR09H1 entered the viable but nonculturable state more rapidly than the wild-type at both 25 degrees C and 4 degrees C.