Alkaline adaptation induces cross-protection against some environmental stresses and morphological change in Vibrio parahaemolyticus

The relationship between alkaline adaptation and the resistance against environmental stresses was examined in Vibrio parahaemolyticus. Alkali-adapted cells were found to have increased resistance against various stresses, including heat, crystal violet, deoxycholic acid, and hydrogen peroxide. However, alkali-adapted cells showed no increased resistance against acid stress and heat-adapted cells did not show increased resistance against alkaline stress. Furthermore, alkaline treatment induced cell elongation with heterogenous size of the bacterium.     

Acid adaptation induces cross-protection against some environmental stresses in Vibrio parahaemolyticus

The relationship of acid adaptation to the resistance of other environmental stresses was examined in Vibrio parahaemolyticus. Acid-adapted cells were found to have increased resistance to various stresses, including heat, crystal violet, bile, and deoxy cholic acid. However, heat-adapted cells showed no increased resistance against acid stress. Adaptation required protein synthesis, since treatment with chloramphenicol during adaptation to pH 5.3 prevented the development of acid resistance. Acid-adapted cells showed an increased amount of outer membrane protein with an apparent molecular weight of 27,000. These results show that acid-induced cross-protection involved changes in outer membrane protein composition and the known enhancement of intracellular pH homeostasis.     

Effect of food processing-related stresses on acid tolerance of Listeria monocytogenes

Stationary-phase cells of Listeria monocytogenes grown in glucose-free or glucose-containing media were exposed for 90 min to various stresses, including acid stress (pH 4.0 to 7.0), osmotic stress (10.5 to 20.5% NaCl), and various temperatures (-5 to 50 degrees C), and were further exposed to pH 3.5. Exposure to a mildly acidic (pH 5.0 to 6.0) environment provided protection of the pathogen against acid upon subsequent exposure. This adaptive response, however, was found to be strongly dependent on other environmental conditions during the shock, such as temperature or the simultaneous presence of a second stress factor (NaCl). Growth of L. monocytogenes in the presence of glucose resulted in enhanced survival of the pathogen at pH 3.5. Sublethal stresses other than acidic stresses, i.e., osmotic, heat, and low-temperature stresses, did not affect the acid resistance of L. monocytogenes (P > 0.5). More-severe levels of these stresses, however, resulted in sensitization of the pathogen to acid.     

Molecular characterization and expression analysis of a rice protein phosphatase 2C gene, OsBIPP2C1, and overexpression in transgenic tobacco conferred enhanced disease resistance and abiotic tolerance

A full-length cDNA of a rice protein phosphatase 2C gene, OsBIPP2C1 , was cloned and identified. OsBIPP2C1 is predicted to encode a 569 amino acid protein that contains phosphatase domain at its C-terminal and a relatively long N-terminal extension. Expression profiles of OsBIPP2C1 in rice seedlings upon treatments with disease resistance inducers, pathogen infection, and mechanical wounding as well as various environmental stress conditions were analyzed. Expression of OsBIPP2C1 was activated upon treatments with benzothiadiazole (BTH), salicylic acid, and hydrogen peroxide, which are signal molecules in plant disease resistance responses, and was induced during the first 48 h after inoculation with Magnaporthe grisea in BTH-treated rice seedlings. OsBIPP2C1 was also upregulated upon mechanical wounding and treatments with abscisic acid, high salt, low temperature, and drought stress. Transgenic tobacco plants overexpressing OsBIPP2C1 gene showed enhanced disease resistance against tobacco mosaic virus and Phytophthora paratisca and increased tolerance against salt and osmotic stresses. These results suggest that OsBIPP2C1 may play important roles in responses to biotic and abiotic stresses.     

水杨酸在植物抗环境胁迫中的作用

水杨酸在植物的抗病方面发挥着重要作用。近年来的研究还表明 ,水杨酸在植物的抗冷、热、盐、干旱、臭氧、重金属等环境胁迫方面也有明显的作用。该文介绍近年来有关水杨酸在植物抗环境胁迫方面的研究进展 ,并探讨了其作用机理。     

不饱和脂肪酸在逆境胁迫中的作用

生物膜是将细胞与环境分开的第一道屏障,是环境胁迫造成损伤的主要位点.脂肪酸是生物膜的主要组成成分,不饱和脂肪酸在决定生物膜的生理特性中具有重要作用,增加脂肪酸的不饱和程度能增加膜脂的流动性.近年来,很多研究发现,生物通过脂肪酸脱饱和维持膜的流动性来适应外界环境变化.本文主要从不饱和脂肪酸在环境温度胁迫、盐胁迫、氧化胁迫、酸碱胁迫、干旱胁迫、乙醇胁迫及铝胁迫中的作用研究进展进行了综述.     

Effect of Food Processing-Related Stresses on Acid Tolerance of Listeria monocytogenes

Stationary-phase cells of Listeria monocytogenes grown in glucose-free or glucose-containing media were exposed for 90 min to various stresses, including acid stress (pH 4.0 to 7.0), osmotic stress (10.5 to 20.5% NaCl), and various temperatures (−5 to 50°C), and were further exposed to pH 3.5. Exposure to a mildly acidic (pH 5.0 to 6.0) environment provided protection of the pathogen against acid upon subsequent exposure. This adaptive response, however, was found to be strongly dependent on other environmental conditions during the shock, such as temperature or the simultaneous presence of a second stress factor (NaCl). Growth of L. monocytogenes in the presence of glucose resulted in enhanced survival of the pathogen at pH 3.5. Sublethal stresses other than acidic stresses, i.e., osmotic, heat, and low-temperature stresses, did not affect the acid resistance of L. monocytogenes (P > 0.5). More-severe levels of these stresses, however, resulted in sensitization of the pathogen to acid.     

Adaptive and Cross-Protective Responses of Pseudomonas sp. DJ-12 to Several Aromatics and Other Stress Shocks

Pseudomonas sp. DJ-12 cells were subjected to mild treatments of stress such as exposure to biphenyl, 4-chlorobiphenyl (4CB), 4-hydroxybenzoate (4HBA), ethanol, and heat, and then were examined for production of stress-shock proteins and morphological changes. The adapted cells were then subjected to lethal stress conditions such as 200 mm 4CB, 100 mm biphenyl, 10 mm 4HBA, 20% ethanol, and 46°C to examine crossly protective responses to the stresses. Several stress-shock proteins including DnaK and GroEL were newly synthesized in the adapted cells. Some of them were commonly produced by those stresses separately treated. The cells treated with these aromatic hydrocarbons showed destructive openings on the cell envelopes. On the other hand, those cells treated with ethanol or heat displayed irregular rod shapes with wrinkled surfaces. The adapted cells to each stress under sublethal conditions exhibited increased resistance to the same stress of lethal conditions. The cells adapted with 5 mm 4HBA showed greater protection for survival than those adapted by other stresses. In addition, those adapted cells showed increased resistance to other stresses as a cross-protection phenomenon. The cells adapted to 42°C exhibited markedly increased resistance to the lethal stresses of 46°C as well as to 20% ethanol. Received: 20 December 2000/Accepted: 26 January 2001     

复苏植物旋蒴苣苔J结构域蛋白编码基因BhDNAJC2的 克隆、表达与功能

热激蛋白(HSP)是一类在受到逆境刺激后大量表达的蛋白质, 能够帮助蛋白质正确折叠, 促使变性蛋白质降解, 缓解逆境胁迫对生物体的损伤。为揭示热激蛋白在耐旱的复苏植物中的保护作用, 该研究对复苏植物旋蒴苣苔(Boea hygrometrica)HSP40家族中J结构域蛋白BhDNAJC2的编码基因进行了克隆、表达与功能分析。Real-time PCR检测表明, 该基因受脱水、低温、热激等多种逆境条件和脱落酸(ABA)诱导表达。BhDNAJC2-YFP定位于细胞质、内质网和细胞核。过表达BhDNAJC2的拟南芥(Arabidopsis thaliana)株系在干旱、热激、盐胁迫和碱胁迫下均表现出明显的抗逆性。综上所述, BhDNAJC2可能在旋蒴苣苔抗旱、耐热及耐盐碱等胁迫反应中起关键作用。     

Adaptive acid tolerance response in Listeria monocytogenes: isolation of an acid-tolerant mutant which demonstrates increased virulence.

The ability of Listeria monocytogenes to tolerate low-pH environments is of particular importance because the pathogen encounters such environments in vivo, both during passage through the stomach and within the macrophage phagosome. In our study, L. monocytogenes was shown to exhibit a significant adaptive acid tolerance response following a 1-h exposure to mild acid (pH 5.5), which is capable of protecting cells from severe acid stress (pH 3.5). Susceptibility to pH 3.5 acid is growth phase dependent. Stationary-phase Listeria cultures are naturally resistant to the challenge pH (pH 3.5), while exponential-phase cultures require adaptation at pH 5.5 to induce acid tolerance. Adaptation requires protein synthesis, since treatment with chloramphenicol prevents the development of acid tolerance. Induction of the acid tolerance response also protects L. monocytogenes against the effect of other environmental stresses. Acid-adapted cells demonstrate increased tolerance toward thermal stress, osmotic stress, crystal violet, and ethanol. Following prolonged exposure of L. monocytogenes to pH 3.5, we isolated mutants which constitutively demonstrate increased acid tolerance at all stages of the growth cycle. These mutants do not display full acid tolerance, but their resistance to low pH can be further increased following adaptation to mild-acid conditions. The mutants demonstrated increased lethality for mice relative to that of the wild type when inoculated by the intraperitoneal route. When administered as lower inocula, the mutants reached higher levels in the spleens of infected mice than did the wild type. The data suggest that low-pH conditions may have the potential to select for L. monocytogenes mutants with increased natural acid tolerance and increased virulence.     

野生大豆盐碱胁迫相关GsTIFY11b的克隆与功能分析

以耐盐碱野生大豆(Glycine soja L.G07256)为材料, 采用同源克隆方法和RT-PCR技术获得一个TIFY 类基因的全长cDNA(命名为GsTIFY11b)。进化树分析表明, 与其他物种相比, GsTIFY11b与拟南芥的AtTIFY11a基因相似性最高, 达到56%; 序列分析表明GsTIFY11b蛋白除具有 TIFY保守结构域外, 还具有一个N端保守结构域和一个C端保守的Jas结构域; 实时荧光定量PCR结果显示该基因受盐和碱胁迫诱导表达; 将GsTIFY11b转化拟南芥来验证其耐盐碱功能, 获得两个转基因纯合体株系, 盐碱胁迫分析结果表明, GsTIFY11b的超量表达没能提高拟南芥对盐碱胁迫的耐性, 并且与野生型相比, 转基因植株在种子萌发期和苗期表现出对盐胁迫更加敏感。盐胁迫信号通路相关marker基因在转基因拟南芥中的表达特性分析表明, GsTIFY11b可以调控RD29B、KIN1、DREB等基因的转录。在洋葱表皮细胞中瞬时表达GsTIFY11b-GFP融合蛋白的结果表明, GsTIFY11b定位于细胞核中。上述结果表明, 该基因在细胞核中起着转录调节子的作用, 可能是通过调控盐胁迫信号通路中关键基因的表达来改变植物对盐胁迫的耐受性。     

野生大豆盐碱胁迫相关GsTIFY11b的克隆与功能分析

以耐盐碱野生大豆(Glycine soja L.G07256)为材料,采用同源克隆方法和RT-PCR技术获得一个TIFY类基因的全长cDNA(命名为GsTIFY11b)。进化树分析表明,与其他物种相比,GsTIFY11b与拟南芥的AtTIFY11a基因相似性最高,达到56%;序列分析表明GsTIFY11b蛋白除具有TIFY保守结构域外,还具有一个N端保守结构域和一个C端保守的Jas结构域;实时荧光定量PCR结果显示该基因受盐和碱胁迫诱导表达;将GsTIFY11b转化拟南芥来验证其耐盐碱功能,获得两个转基因纯合体株系,盐碱胁迫分析结果表明,GsTIFY11b的超量表达没能提高拟南芥对盐碱胁迫的耐性,并且与野生型相比,转基因植株在种子萌发期和苗期表现出对盐胁迫更加敏感。盐胁迫信号通路相关marker基因在转基因拟南芥中的表达特性分析表明,GsTIFY11b可以调控RD29B、KIN1、DREB等基因的转录。在洋葱表皮细胞中瞬时表达GsTIFY11b-GFP融合蛋白的结果表明,GsTIFY11b定位于细胞核中。上述结果表明,该基因在细胞核中起着转录调节子的作用,可能是通过调控盐胁迫信号通路中关键基因的表达来改变植物对盐胁迫的耐受性。     

Positive correlation between mammalian life span and cellular resistance to stress

Identifying the mechanisms determining species-specific life spans is a central challenge in understanding the biology of aging. Cellular stresses produce damage, that may accumulate and cause aging. Evolution theory predicts that long-lived species secure their longevity through investment in a more durable soma, including enhanced cellular resistance to stress. To investigate whether cells from long-lived species have better mechanisms to cope with oxidative and non-oxidative stress, we compared cellular resistance of primary skin fibroblasts from eight mammalian species with a range of life spans. Cell survival was measured by the thymidine incorporation assay following stresses induced by paraquat, hydrogen peroxide, tert-butyl hydroperoxide, sodium arsenite and alkaline pH (sodium hydroxide). Significant positive correlations between cell LD90 and maximum life span were found for all these stresses. Similar results were obtained when cell survival was measured by the MTT assay, and when lymphocytes from different species were compared. Cellular resistance to a variety of oxidative and non-oxidative stresses was positively correlated with mammalian longevity. Our results support the concept that the gene network regulating the cellular response to stress is functionally important in aging and longevity.     

Growth pH and transient increases in amino acid availability influence polyglucose synthesis by Fusobacterium nucleatum grown in continuous culture

When exponential phase cultures of Lactococcus lactis were directly exposed to severe stresses (acid, bile salt, heat, and hydrogen peroxide) for a prolonged period, most of the cells were quickly killed, however, a small number of the cells, approximately 0.01% of the population, was found to survive. How these 'survivor' cells might have survived the stresses, when other supposedly-the-same cells could not, was investigated. The cultures were not exposed to any mild stresses prior to the exposure to the severe stresses, and therefore adaptation can be ruled out as the cause of survival. When the survivor cells were re-cultured and re-exposed to the same severe stresses a similar pattern of survival was displayed, indicating that the survivor cells were not stress-resistant mutants. Furthermore, the survivor cells displayed typical growth kinetics once they were freed of the stresses. The survivor cells appear to be in a distinct physiological state, because when they were tested against a second stress they exhibited significantly greater survival against that stress than the normal cells exposed to the same stress. Also, cells at different time points of synchronously growing culture displayed different levels of survival against stress. It is proposed that the difference in survival of exponential phase cells is due to the difference in the protein makeup of cells at different stages of the cell cycle.     

NrdH Redoxin Enhances Resistance to Multiple Oxidative Stresses by Acting as a Peroxidase Cofactor in Corynebacterium glutamicum

NrdH redoxins are small protein disulfide oxidoreductases behaving like thioredoxins but sharing a high amino acid sequence similarity to glutaredoxins. Although NrdH redoxins are supposed to be another candidate in the antioxidant system, their physiological roles in oxidative stress remain unclear. In this study, we confirmed that the Corynebacterium glutamicum NrdH redoxin catalytically reduces the disulfides in the class Ib ribonucleotide reductases (RNR), insulin and 5,5′-dithiobis-(2-nitrobenzoic acid) (DTNB), by exclusively receiving electrons from thioredoxin reductase. Overexpression of NrdH increased the resistance of C. glutamicum to multiple oxidative stresses by reducing ROS accumulation. Accordingly, elevated expression of the nrdH gene was observed when the C. glutamicum wild-type strain was exposed to oxidative stress conditions. It was discovered that the NrdH-mediated resistance to oxidative stresses was largely dependent on the presence of the thiol peroxidase Prx, as the increased resistance to oxidative stresses mediated by overexpression of NrdH was largely abrogated in the prx mutant. Furthermore, we showed that NrdH facilitated the hydroperoxide reduction activity of Prx by directly targeting and serving as its electron donor. Thus, we present evidence that the NrdH redoxin can protect against the damaging effects of reactive oxygen species (ROS) induced by various exogenous oxidative stresses by acting as a peroxidase cofactor.     

Free proline content and sensitivity to desiccation and heat during yeast sporulation and spore germination.

Ascospores of a strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Hansen were less sensitive to desiccation and heat than vegetative cells. Desiccation resistance was acquired earlier during sporulation and lost later during spore germination than heat resistance. As spores matured, resistance to both stresses increased. With the exception of the first few hours in sporulation medium, when proline appeared to be utilized, the intracellular free proline content increased during sporulation and decreased during spore germination. Not all the proline lost could be detected in the germination medium, indicating that some was metabolically utilized by the germinating spores. Since exogenous proline supplied to vegetative or sporulating cells before desiccation increased their survival, it is suggested that the high level of free proline in mature spores may protect against desiccation stress.     

Effect of intermediates on ascorbic acid and oxalate biosynthesis of rice and in relation to its stress resistance.

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) roots were fed with L-ascorbic acid (AsA) and its putative precursors to observe AsA and oxalate concentrations and the resistance of rice to chilling, water stress, and Al toxicity. AsA concentration was significantly enhanced in both shoots and roots of rice seedlings by feeding with D-glucose or L-galactono-gamma-lactone. AsA or L-galactono-gamma-lactone treatment increased accumulation of oxalate mainly in soluble form, while these treatments decreased electrolyte leakage from root cells, H2O2 and lipid peroxidation level in rice seedlings subjected to chilling, water stress, and Al toxicity. They also alleviated the inhibition on root growth by Al. These results indicated that AsA and its immediate precursor protected plants against the oxidative damages induced by various stresses. However, 0.5 mM AsA and 10 mM L-galactono-gamma-lactone treatment had no significant effect on superoxide dismutase and catalase activity and ascorbate-peroxidase activities. Enhanced Al resistance caused by AsA and L-galactono-gamma-lactone may possibly be resulted from increased level of oxalate, which acts as metal chelator. Thus it is proposed that manipulation of AsA and oxalate biosynthesis through enhancement of L-galactono-gamma-lactone level in plants could be a strategy for improving abiotic stress tolerance.     

Characterization of Lactobacillus collinoides response to heat, acid and ethanol treatments

Tolerance to stress and cross-protection in Lactobacillus collinoides were examined after exposure to ethanol, acid or heat shock. Ethanol and heat-adapted cells demonstrate induced homologous␣tolerance and cross-resistance to acid stress. No cross-protection of acid-adapted cells against ethanol and heat stresses was observed. Heat was the only pretreatment leading to cross-protection against the two other stresses. Whole-cell protein extract analysis revealed that each treatment induced a battery of stress proteins; the synthesis of some of these polypeptides being induced by more than one condition. The greatest overlap was observed between ethanol and heat treatments. Ten proteins were found to be common to these stresses. Received: 7 November 1998 / Received revision: 10 February 1999 / Accepted: 12 February 1999     

Role of sigma(B) in heat, ethanol, acid, and oxidative stress resistance and during carbon starvation in Listeria monocytogenes

To determine the contribution of sigma B (sigma(B)) to survival of stationary-phase Listeria monocytogenes cells following exposure to environmental stresses, we compared the viability of strain 10403S with that of an isogenic nonpolar sigB null mutant strain after exposure to heat (50 degrees C), ethanol (16.5%), or acid (pH 2.5). Strain viabilities were also determined under the same conditions in cultures that had been previously exposed to sublethal levels of the same stresses (45 degrees C, 5% ethanol, or pH 4.5). The DeltasigB and wild-type strains had similar viabilities following exposure to ethanol and heat, but the DeltasigB strain was almost 10,000-fold more susceptible to lethal acid stress than its parent strain. However, a 1-h preexposure to pH 4.5 yielded a 1,000-fold improvement in viability for the DeltasigB strain. These results suggest the existence in L. monocytogenes of both a sigma(B)-dependent mechanism and a pH-dependent mechanism for acid resistance in the stationary phase. sigma(B) contributed to resistance to both oxidative stress and carbon starvation in L. monocytogenes. The DeltasigB strain was 100-fold more sensitive to 13.8 mM cumene hydroperoxide than the wild-type strain. Following glucose depletion, the DeltasigB strain lost viability more rapidly than the parent strain. sigma(B) contributions to viability during carbon starvation and to acid resistance and oxidative stress resistance support the hypothesis that sigma(B) plays a role in protecting L. monocytogenes against environmental adversities.     

Effect of environmental stresses on the sensitivity of Enterobacter sakazakii in powdered infant milk formula to gamma radiation

Aim:  To evaluate the effect of starvation, heat, cold, acid, alkaline, chlorine and ethanol stresses on the resistance of Enterobacter sakazakii in powdered infant milk formula (PIMF) towards gamma radiation.
Methods and Results:  Stressed cells of E. sakazakii ATCC 51329 and four other food isolate strains were mixed individually with PIMF, kept overnight at room temperature, and then exposed to gamma radiation up to 7·5 kGy. The D ₁₀-values were determined using linear regression and for the stressed E. sakazakii strains these values ranged from 0·82 to 1·95 kGy.
Conclusions:  Environmental stresses did not significantly change the sensitivity of most E. sakazakii strains to ionizing radiation.
Significance and Impact of the Study:  Data obtained established that most forms of environmental stress are unlikely to significantly enhance the resistance of E. sakazakii strains to lethal, low dose irradiation treatment.