PMA-qPCR法检测冷冻基质中非可培养状态(VBNC)副溶血性弧菌

【背景】副溶血性弧菌为冰鲜产品及肉制品中常见的污染微生物,致病性强,危害严重,出入境运输及加工的肉食品常采取冷冻冷藏的处理手段来防止微生物污染及生长,以保持食物新鲜。而残留的部分副溶血性弧菌会进入活的非可培养状态(Viable but non-culturable state,VBNC),从而构成潜在的风险隐患。【目的】建立可用于冷冻食品中VBNC副溶血性弧菌的快速检测方法,并探讨其适用性。【方法】将大西洋鲑鱼1:10匀浆,加入终浓度为6.6×10~5 CFU/mL的副溶血性弧菌,-20°C分别诱导10、20、30和50 d。建立实时荧光PCR技术(qPCR)方法,测定其特异性、灵敏度及稳定性。利用PMA-qPCR法对不同冷冻时期样品中的副溶血性弧菌进行检测,同时与qPCR、平板培养法进行比较。【结果】建立的qPCR方法特异性好,与其他阴性参考株无交叉反应;灵敏度高,检测限为19.8 CFU/mL;重复性好,C_q值的变异系数(CV)均在1.5%以下;标准曲线为y=-3.272x+45.310,线性回归系数R~2为0.996,定量范围为1×10~2–1×10~9 CFU/mL。在低温诱导10-50 d后,qPCR法的C_q值在26.32-27.34之间,与诱导前相比几乎没有变化;叠氮溴化丙锭(PMA)-qPCR法的C_q值则从诱导前的26.43逐步上升到38.84,呈现明显的上升趋势,表明死菌的数量在显著上升。经过比较及统计,PMA-qPCR检测的活菌数均高于平板培养法测出的数量,差异显著(P0.05)。【结论】PMA-qPCR特异性及灵敏度高,能有效抑制对死菌的扩增,同时能克服传统平板培养法对VBNC的漏检缺陷,可方便、快捷地用于冷冻食品中受损致病微生物,尤其是进入VBNC状态的细菌检测。     

Application of real-time PCR for quantitative detection of Vibrio parahaemolyticus from seafood in eastern China

Vibrio parahaemolyticus is recognized as a leading human food-borne pathogen. A TaqMan PCR assay based on the gyrase B gene (gyrB) sequence of V. parahaemolyticus was developed for quantitative detection of V. parahaemolyticus in seafood. The study involving 27 V. parahaemolyticus and 10 strains of other species indicated that the real-time PCR test was highly specific. The sensitivity of the assay was approximately a single CFU per PCR in pure culture and six to eight CFU per PCR in spiked raw oyster, respectively. Real-time PCR values of artificially inoculated oyster homogenates correlated well with plate counts determined using culture methods. A total of 300 seafood samples were analyzed and 78 (26%) of these samples were positive for V. parahaemolyticus using a conventional culture method and 97 (32.3%) using the real-time PCR assay. All culture-positive samples were PCR-positive. However, 19 samples positive by PCR were culture-negative. The results show that retail seafood is commonly contaminated with V. parahaemolyticus in harvest season in eastern China. These data also indicate that real-time PCR can provide sensitive species-specific detection and quantification of V. parahaemolyticus in seafood without prior isolation and characterization of the bacteria by traditional microbiological methods.     

Detection of Vibrio parahaemolyticus in shellfish by use of multiplexed real-time PCR with TaqMan fluorescent probes

We developed a multiplexed real-time PCR assay using four sets of gene-specific oligonucleotide primers and four TaqMan probes labeled with four different fluorophores in a single reaction for detection of total and pathogenic Vibrio parahaemolyticus, including the pandemic O3:K6 serotype in oysters. V. parahaemolyticus has been associated with outbreaks of food-borne gastroenteritis caused by the consumption of raw or undercooked seafood and therefore is a concern to the seafood industry and consumers. We selected specific primers and probes targeting the thermostable direct hemolysin gene (tdh) and tdh-related hemolysin gene (trh) that have been reported to be associated with pathogenesis in this organism. In addition, we targeted open reading frame 8 of phage f237 (ORF8), which is associated with a newly emerged virulent pandemic serotype of V. parahameolyticus O3:K6. Total V. parahaemolyticus was targeted using the thermolabile hemolysin gene (tlh). The sensitivity of the combined four-locus multiplexed TaqMan PCR was found to be 200 pg of purified genomic DNA and 10(4) CFU per ml for pure cultures. Detection of an initial inoculum of 1 CFU V. parahaemolyticus per g of oyster tissue homogenate was possible after overnight enrichment, which resulted in a concentration of 3.3x10(9) CFU per ml. Use of this method with natural oysters resulted in 17/33 samples that were positive for tlh and 4/33 samples that were positive for tdh. This assay specifically and sensitively detected total and pathogenic V. parahaemolyticus and is expected to provide a rapid and reliable alternative to conventional detection methods by reducing the analysis time and obviating the need for multiple assays.     

Optimization, validation, and application of a real-time PCR protocol for quantification of viable bacterial cells in municipal sewage sludge and biosolids using reporter genes and Escherichia coli

Biosolids result from treatment of sewage sludge to meet jurisdictional standards, including pathogen reduction. Once government regulations are met, materials can be applied to agricultural lands. Culture-based methods are used to enumerate pathogen indicator microorganisms but may underestimate cell densities, which is partly due to bacteria existing in a viable but non-culturable physiological state. Viable indicators can also be quantified by real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) used with propidium monoazide (PMA), a dye that inhibits amplification of DNA found extracellularly or in dead cells. The objectives of this study were to test an optimized PMA-qPCR method for viable pathogen detection in wastewater solids and to validate it by comparing results to data obtained by conventional plating. Reporter genes from genetically marked Pseudomonas sp. UG14Lr and Agrobacterium tumefaciens 542 cells were spiked into samples of primary sludge, and anaerobically digested and Lystek-treated biosolids as cell-free DNA, dead cells, viable cells, and mixtures of live and dead cells, followed by DNA extraction with and without PMA, and qPCR. The protocol was then used for Escherichia coli quantification in the three matrices, and results compared to plate counts. PMA-qPCR selectively detected viable cells, while inhibiting signals from cell-free DNA and DNA found in membrane-compromised cells. PMA-qPCR detected 0.5–1 log unit more viable E. coli cells in both primary solids and dewatered biosolids than plate counts. No viable E. coli was found in Lystek-treated biosolids. These data suggest PMA-qPCR may more accurately estimate pathogen cell numbers than traditional culture methods.     

用基于TaqMan探针的Real-time PCR技术定量检测副溶血弧菌

副溶血弧菌是一种引起食源性疾病的重要病原菌,传统的鉴定方法费时费力且容易出现假阴性,建立一种定量检测副溶血弧菌基因的方法尤为重要。根据GenBank公布的副溶血弧菌的gyrB基因序列设计一对引物和TaqMan探针,建立了基于TaqMan探针的RealtimePCR方法。通过对9种细菌(12株菌株)的DNA进行扩增,结果所有4株副溶血弧菌均可产生扩增曲线,其他8株非副溶血弧菌均不产生扩增曲线,证明了引物和探针具有很高的特异性。细菌纯培养物品和人工布菌的检测敏感度分别为1CFUPCR反应体系和10CFUPCR反应体系,相关系数均为0.99(r2=0.99),整个试验可在1h内完成。建立的方法可用于海产品中副溶血弧菌的快速定量检测。     

Identification and quantification of viable Bifidobacterium breve strain Yakult in human faeces by using strain-specific primers and propidium monoazide

Aims: To develop a quick and accurate PCR‐based method to evaluate viable Bifidobacterium breve strain Yakult (BbrY) in human faeces. Methods and Results: The number of BbrY in faeces was detected by using strain‐specific quantitative real‐time PCR (qPCR) derived from a randomly amplified polymorphic DNA analysis. And using propidium monoazide (PMA) treatment, which combined a DNA‐intercalating dye for covalently linking DNA in dead cells and photoactivation, only viable BbrY in the faeces highly and significantly correlated with the number of viable BbrY added to faecal samples within the range of 10⁵–10⁹ cells per g of faeces was enumerated. After 11 healthy subjects ingested 10·7 log CFU of BbrY daily for 10 days, 6·9 (±1·5) log CFU g^?1 [mean (±SD)] of BbrY was detected in faeces by using strain‐specific transgalactosylated oligosaccharide–carbenicillin (T‐CBPC) selective agar medium. Viable BbrY detected by qPCR with PMA treatment was 7·5 (±1·0) log cells per g and the total number (viable and dead) of BbrY detected by qPCR without PMA treatment was 8·1 (±0·8) log cells per g. Conclusions: Strain‐specific qPCR with PMA treatment evaluated viable BbrY in faeces quickly and accurately. Significance and Impact of the Study: Combination of strain‐specific qPCR and PMA treatment is useful for evaluating viable probiotics and its availability in humans.     

Quantification of viable Legionella pneumophila cells using propidium monoazide combined with quantitative PCR

One of the greatest challenges of implementing fast molecular detection methods as part of Legionella surveillance systems is to limit detection to live cells. In this work, a protocol for sample treatment with propidium monoazide (PMA) in combination with quantitative PCR (qPCR) has been optimized and validated for L. pneumophila as an alternative of the currently used time-consuming culture method. Results from PMA-qPCR were compared with culture isolation and traditional qPCR. Under the conditions used, sample treatment with 50 μM PMA followed by 5 min of light exposure were assumed optimal resulting in an average reduction of 4.45 log units of the qPCR signal from heat-killed cells. When applied to environmental samples (including water from cooling water towers, hospitals, spas, hot water systems in hotels, and tap water), different degrees of correlations between the three methods were obtained which might be explained by different matrix properties, but also varying degrees of non-culturable cells. It was furthermore shown that PMA displayed substantially lower cytotoxicity with Legionella than the alternative dye ethidium monoazide (EMA) when exposing live cells to the dye followed by plate counting. This result confirmed the findings with other species that PMA is less membrane-permeant and more selective for the intact cells. In conclusion, PMA-qPCR is a promising technique for limiting detection to intact cells and makes Legionella surveillance data substantially more relevant in comparison with qPCR alone. For future research it would be desirable to increase the method's capacity to exclude signals from dead cells in difficult matrices or samples containing high numbers of dead cells.     

Ethidium and propidium monoazide: comparison of potential toxicity on Vibrio sp. viability

Vibrio sp., ubiquitous in the aquatic ecosystem, are bacteria of interest because of their involvement in human health, causing gastroenteritis after ingestion of seafood, as well as their role in vibriosis leading to severe losses in aquaculture production. Their ability to enter a viable but non-culturable (VBNC) state under stressful environmental conditions may lead to underestimation of the Vibrio population by traditional microbiological enumeration methods. As a result, using molecular methods in combination with EMA or PMA allows the detection of viable (VBNC and culturable viable) cells. In this study, the impact of the EMA and PMA was tested at different concentrations on the viability of several Vibrio species. We compared the toxicity of these two DNA-binding dyes to determine the best pretreatment to use with qPCR to discriminate between viable and dead Vibrio cells. Our results showed that EMA displayed lethal effects for each strain of V. cholerae and V. vulnificus tested. In contrast, the concentrations of PMA tested had no toxic effect on the viability of Vibrio cells studied. These results may help to achieve optimal PMA-qPCR methods to detect viable Vibrio sp. cells in food and environmental samples.     

Advantageous Direct Quantification of Viable Closely Related Probiotics in Petit-Suisse Cheeses under In Vitro Gastrointestinal Conditions by Propidium Monoazide - qPCR

Species-specific Quantitative Real Time PCR (qPCR) alone and combined with the use of propidium monoazide (PMA) were used along with the plate count method to evaluate the survival of the probiotic strains Lactobacillus acidophilus La-5 and Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis Bb-12, and the bacteriocinogenic and potentially probiotic strain Lactobacillus sakei subsp. sakei 2a in synbiotic (F1) and probiotic (F2) petit-suisse cheeses exposed throughout shelf-life to in vitro simulated gastrointestinal tract conditions. The three strains studied showed a reduction in their viability after the 6 h assay. Bb-12 displayed the highest survival capacity, above 72.6 and 74.6% of the initial populations, respectively, by plate count and PMA-qPCR, maintaining population levels in the range or above 6 log CFU/g. The prebiotic mix of inulin and FOS did not offer any additional protection for the strains against the simulated gastrointestinal environment. The microorganisms'' populations were comparable among the three methods at the initial time of the assay, confirming the presence of mainly viable and culturable cells. However, with the intensification of the stress induced throughout the various stages of the in vitro test, the differences among the methods increased. The qPCR was not a reliable enumeration method for the quantification of intact bacterial populations, mixed with large numbers of injured and dead bacteria, as confirmed by the scanning electron microscopy results. Furthermore, bacteria plate counts were much lower (P<0.05) than with the PMA-qPCR method, suggesting the accumulation of stressed or dead microorganisms unable to form colonies. The use of PMA overcame the qPCR inability to differentiate between dead and alive cells. The combination of PMA and species-specific qPCR in this study allowed a quick and unequivocal way of enumeration of viable closely related species incorporated into probiotic and synbiotic petit-suisse cheeses and under stress conditions.     

A propidium monoazide–quantitative PCR method for the detection and quantification of viable Enterococcus faecalis in large-volume samples of marine waters

The development of rapid detection assays of cell viability is essential for monitoring the microbiological quality of water systems. Coupling propidium monoazide with quantitative PCR (PMA-qPCR) has been successfully applied in different studies for the detection and quantification of viable cells in small-volume samples (0.25–1.00 mL), but it has not been evaluated sufficiently in marine environments or in large-volume samples. In this study, we successfully integrated blue light-emitting diodes for photoactivating PMA and membrane filtration into the PMA-qPCR assay for the rapid detection and quantification of viable Enterococcus faecalis cells in 10-mL samples of marine waters. The assay was optimized in phosphate-buffered saline and seawater, reducing the qPCR signal of heat-killed E. faecalis cells by 4 log₁₀ and 3 log₁₀ units, respectively. Results suggest that high total dissolved solid concentration (32 g/L) in seawater can reduce PMA activity. Optimal PMA-qPCR standard curves with a 6-log dynamic range and detection limit of 10² cells/mL were generated for quantifying viable E. faecalis cells in marine waters. The developed assay was compared with the standard membrane filter (MF) method by quantifying viable E. faecalis cells in seawater samples exposed to solar radiation. The results of the developed PMA-qPCR assay did not match that of the standard MF method. This difference in the results reflects the different physiological states of E. faecalis cells in seawater. In conclusion, the developed assay is a rapid (～5 h) method for the quantification of viable E. faecalis cells in marine recreational waters, which should be further improved and tested in different seawater settings.     

青岛近岸海水及几种海产品中副溶血弧菌(Vibrio parahaemolyticus)生境的调查

副溶血弧菌是水产食品中的一种重要食物中毒菌,它在沿岸海水和海产动物体上都有广泛的分布,所以它又是海产动物的一种条件性致病菌。本文报告了该菌在青岛近岸海水和几种常见的水产食品上污染了该菌的情况,在检测方法上也进一步修定了一种选择性较强的培养基(SAC)。调查发现青岛近岸海水中副溶血弧菌的出现率为68～463CFU/100ml,几种常见海产食品中平均含量值为745～6900CFU/100克,其中贝类含量最高达6900/100克。采用常用的选择培养基“TCBS”等与修定的“SAC”对该菌进行检测比较,结果表明“SAC”法较“TCBS”法检出的阳性率和灵敏性均较高,两种方法X~2=4.28,P>0.05,效果有显著的意义。     

Rapid detection of viable salmonellae in produce by coupling propidium monoazide with loop-mediated isothermal amplification

Recent outbreaks linked to Salmonella-contaminated produce heightened the need to develop simple, rapid, and accurate detection methods, particularly those capable of determining cell viability. In this study, we examined a novel strategy for the rapid detection and quantification of viable salmonellae in produce by coupling a simple propidium monoazide sample treatment with loop-mediated isothermal amplification (PMA-LAMP). We first designed and optimized a LAMP assay targeting Salmonella. Second, the performance of PMA-LAMP for detecting and quantifying viable salmonellae was determined. Finally, the assay was evaluated in experimentally contaminated produce items (cantaloupe, spinach, and tomato). Under the optimized condition, PMA-LAMP consistently gave negative results for heat-killed Salmonella cells with concentrations up to 10(8) CFU/ml (or CFU/g in produce). The detection limits of PMA-LAMP were 3.4 to 34 viable Salmonella cells in pure culture and 6.1 × 10(3) to 6.1 × 10(4) CFU/g in spiked produce samples. In comparison, PMA-PCR was up to 100-fold less sensitive. The correlation between LAMP time threshold (T(T)) values and viable Salmonella cell numbers was high (R(2) = 0.949 to 0.993), with a quantification range (10(2) to 10(5) CFU/reaction in pure culture and 10(4) to 10(7) CFU/g in produce) comparable to that of PMA in combination with quantitative real-time PCR (PMA-qPCR). The complete PMA-LAMP assay took about 3 h to complete when testing produce samples. In conclusion, this rapid, accurate, and simple method to detect and quantify viable Salmonella cells in produce may present a useful tool for the produce industry to better control potential microbial hazards in produce.     

Analysis of gyrB and toxR gene sequences of Vibrio hollisae and development of gyrB- and toxR-targeted PCR methods for isolation of V. hollisae from the environment and its identification

Isolation of Vibrio hollisae strains, particularly from the environment, is rare. This may be due, in part, to the difficulty encountered when using conventional biochemical tests to identify the microorganism. In this study, we evaluated whether two particular genes may be useful for the identification of V. hollisae. The two genes are presumed to be conserved among the bacterial species (gyrB) or among the species of the genus Vibrio (toxR). A portion of the gyrB sequence of V. hollisae was cloned by PCR using a set of degenerate primers. The sequence showed 80% identity with the corresponding Vibrio parahaemolyticus gyrB sequence. The toxR gene of V. hollisae was cloned utilizing a htpG gene probe derived from the V. parahaemolyticus htpG gene, which is known to be linked to the toxR gene in V. hollisae. The coding sequence of the cloned V. hollisae toxR gene had 59% identity with the V. parahaemolyticus toxR coding sequence. The results of DNA colony hybridization tests using the DNA probes derived from the two genes of V. hollisae indicated that these gene sequences could be utilized for differentiation of V. hollisae from other Vibrio species and from microorganisms found in marine fish. PCR methods targeting the two gene sequences were established. Both PCR methods were shown to specifically detect the respective target sequences of V. hollisae but not other organisms. A strain of V. hollisae added at a concentration of 1 to 10(2) CFU/ml to alkaline peptone water containing a seafood sample could be detected by a 4-h enrichment incubation in alkaline peptone water at 37 degrees C followed by quick DNA extraction with an extraction kit and 35-cycle PCR specific for the V. hollisae toxR gene. We conclude that screening of seafood samples by this 35-cycle, V. hollisae toxR-specific PCR, followed by isolation on a differential medium and identification by the above htpG- and toxR-targeted PCR methods, can be useful for isolation from the environment and identification of V. hollisae.     

Comparison of a fluorogenic assay with a conventional method for rapid detection of Vibrio parahaemolyticus in seafoods.

A conventional method and a fluorogenic assay for the detection of Vibrio parahaemolyticus were compared. Among 29 seafood samples examined for the presence of V. parahaemolyticus, 17 samples harbored V. parahaemolyticus, and trypsinlike activity was noticed in 19 seafoods. The added fluorogenic substrate was cleaved in single samples of shrimp, turbo, and cuttlefish from which V. parahaemolyticus could not be isolated by the conventional method. Vibrio alginolyticus, in addition to V. parahaemolyticus, was found to exhibit intracellular trypsinlike activity. Trypsinlike activity in seafoods was observed after the most probable number for the initial density of V. parahaemolyticus-like organisms was found to have reached > 10(2) per g. A V. parahaemolyticus inoculum at 10(4) CFU/ml in arabinose-glucuronate medium was required to attain growth to 10(6) CFU/ml, which is the level necessary for the release of detectable amounts of fluorescent compound from the added substrate.     

Propidium monoazide combined with real-time quantitative PCR underestimates heat-killed Listeria innocua

The combination of propidium monoazide (PMA) and quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) significantly overestimated the fraction of viable Listeria innocua as compared to plate counts and confocal fluorescence microscopy. Our data imply that PMA-qPCR must be used with caution as an analytical tool for the differentiation between viable and dead bacteria.     

Soft-agar-coated filter method for early detection of viable and thermostable direct hemolysin (TDH)- or TDH-related hemolysin-producing Vibrio parahaemolyticus in seafood

A novel method for detecting viable and thermostable direct hemolysin (TDH)-producing or TDH-related hemolysin (TRH)-producing Vibrio parahaemolyticus in seafood was developed. The method involved (i) enrichment culture, selective for viable, motile cells penetrating a soft-agar-coated filter paper, and (ii) a multiplex PCR assay targeting both the TDH gene (tdh) and TRH gene (trh) following DNase pretreatment on the test culture to eradicate any incidental DNAs that might have been released from dead cells of tdh- or trh-positive (tdh+ trh+) strains and penetrated the agar-coated filter. A set of preliminary laboratory tests performed on 190 ml of enrichment culture that had been inoculated simultaneously with ca. 100 viable cells of a strain of tdh+ trh+ V. parahaemolyticus and dense populations of a viable strain of tdh- and trh-negative V. parahaemolyticus or Vibrio alginolyticus indicated that the method detected the presence of viable tdh+ trh+ strains. Another set of preliminary tests on 190 ml of enrichment culture that had been initially inoculated with a large number of dead cells of the tdh+ trh+ strain together with dense populations of the tdh- and trh-negative strains confirmed that the method did not yield any false-positive results. Subsequent quasi-field tests using various seafood samples (ca. 20 g), each of which was experimentally contaminated with either or both hemolysin-producing strains at an initial density of ca. 5 to 10 viable cells per gram, demonstrated that contamination could be detected within 2 working days.     

Rapid Quantitative Detection of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Vibrio parahaemolyticus</Emphasis> in Seafood by MPN-PCR

This study aimed to adopt MPN-PCR (most probable number-polymerase chain reaction) for rapid detection of the quantity of Vibrio parahaemolyticus in seafood. V. parahaemolyticus in seafood could be quantitated by MPN statistics according to PCR products. The sensitivity of MPN-PCR was 100 times higher than that of direct PCR. Of 225 seafood samples from Qingdao, 165 were positive for the presence of V. parahaemolyticus, with an MPN value of >719 per gram, and about 41.5% of samples were positive for tdh gene-possessing cells. Eighty muscle tissues from the 225 seafood samples were investigated by direct PCR and MPN-PCR, but no V. parahaemolyticus was detected. The MPN-PCR test could be completed in less than 16 h from the time of sample preparation. It was rapid, sensitive, and reliable for comprehensive detection and quick quantitative determination of V. parahaemolyticus in seafood and it revealed the potential risk of illness associated with their consumption.     

TaqMan PCR for detection of Vibrio cholerae O1, O139, non-O1, and non-O139 in pure cultures, raw oysters, and synthetic seawater

Vibrio cholerae is recognized as a leading human waterborne pathogen. Traditional diagnostic testing for Vibrio is not always reliable, because this bacterium can enter a viable but nonculturable state. Therefore, nucleic acid-based tests have emerged as a useful alternative to traditional enrichment testing. In this article, a TaqMan PCR assay is presented for quantitative detection of V. cholerae in pure cultures, oysters, and synthetic seawater. Primers and probe were designed from the nonclassical hemolysin (hlyA) sequence of V. cholerae strains. This probe was applied to DNA from 60 bacterial strains comprising 21 genera. The TaqMan PCR assay was positive for all of the strains of V. cholerae tested and negative for all other species of Vibrio tested. In addition, none of the other genera tested was amplified with the TaqMan primers and probe used in this study. The results of the TaqMan PCR with raw oysters and spiked with V. cholerae serotypes O1 and O139 were comparable to those of pure cultures. The sensitivity of the assay was in the range of 6 to 8 CFU g(-1) and 10 CFU ml(-1) in spiked raw oyster and synthetic seawater samples, respectively. The total assay could be completed in 3 h. Quantification of the Vibrio cells was linear over at least 6 log units. The TaqMan probe and primer set developed in this study can be used as a rapid screening tool for the presence of V. cholerae in oysters and seawater without prior isolation and characterization of the bacteria by traditional microbiological methods.     

Method for the detection of injured Vibrio parahaemolyticus in seafoods.

The sensitivity of Vibrio parahaemolyticus cells to refrigeration and frozen storage and the development of a method for detecting injured and uninjured V. parahaemolyticus cells were studied. Cell suspensions in different kinds of seafood homogenates were either regrigerated (4 degrees C) or frozen (-20 degrees C), stored, and examined for cell survival during storage. V. parahaemolyticus cells were sensitive to both storage temperatures. Many cells died, and many survivors were sublethally injured. In general, refrigeration storage appeared to be more injurious than frozen storage. The initial recovery of the sublethally injured cells was highest in a nutritionally rich, nonselective liquid medium such as Trypticase soy broth, whereas maximum cell multiplication was observed in Trypticase soy broth containing 3% NaCl. The sublethally injured V. parahaemolyticus cells demonstrated sensitivity to the selective enrichment medium, glucose salt teepol broth. From these findings, a new method (designated as the "repair-detection" method) was developed for the isolation and enumeration of V. parahaemolyticus. Comparative studies between the recommended and the repair-detection methods showed that injured V. parahaemolyticus cells were present in commercial seafoods and that the repair-detection method was definitely more effective for the detection of total numbers of V. parahaemolyticus cells.     

Effect of PCR amplicon length on suppressing signals from membrane-compromised cells by propidium monoazide treatment

Treatment of microbiological samples with viability dyes prior to extraction of DNA and PCR amplification for downstream analysis has evolved into a commonly applied method. The addition of this easy-to-perform step to the sample analysis procedure inhibits the amplification of DNA from dead cells with compromised cell membranes. The method is currently used both in combination with quantitative PCR (qPCR), end-point PCR, and isothermal amplification. We present here a detailed study of the effect of amplicon size on amplification signals from unstressed and heat-exposed cells after treatment with propidium monoazide (PMA). PMA treatment was shown to be more efficient in excluding dead cells from the analysis both in combination with qPCR (PMA-qPCR) and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PMA-DGGE), when longer amplicons were used. When applied to pure cultures of the fish pathogens Vibrio anguillarum and Flavobacterium psychrophilum exposed to a heat gradient ranging from mild to lethal, qPCR product lengths did not influence PMA-qPCR results at low temperatures, whereas an increasingly strong impact was seen at higher temperatures. Membrane permeability as a result of heat exposure might however have to be considered a conservative parameter for cell death for these pathogens as culturability and redox activity were lost at lower stress intensities than membrane integrity. When applying PMA-DGGE to an environmental water sample which was either left untreated or was exposed to heat, differences to non-PMA treated samples tended to slightly increase when amplified fragments in the first round of the nested PCR were longer, whereas the impact of 1st-round cycle numbers remains unclear.