Escherichia coli mutants resistant to inactivation by high hydrostatic pressure.

Alternating cycles of exposure to high pressure and outgrowth of surviving populations were used to select for highly pressure-resistant mutants of Escherichia coli MG1655. Three barotolerant mutants (LMM1010, LMM1020, and LMM1030) were isolated independently by using outgrowth temperatures of 30, 37, and 42 degrees C, respectively. Survival of these mutants after pressure treatment for 15 min at ambient temperature was 40 to 85% at 220 MPa and 0.5 to 1.5% at 800 MPa, while survival of the parent strain, MG1655, decreased from 15% at 220 MPa to 2 x 10(-8)% at 700 MPa. Heat resistance of mutants LMM1020 and LMM1030 was also altered, as evident by higher D values at 58 and 60 degrees C and reduced z values compared to those for the parent strain. D and z values for mutant LMM1010 were not significantly different from those for the parent strain. Pressure sensitivity of the mutants increased from 10 to 50 degrees C, as opposed to the parent strain, which showed a minimum around 40 degrees C. The ability of the mutants to grow at moderately elevated pressure (50 MPa) was reduced at temperatures above 37 degrees C, indicating that resistance to pressure inactivation is unrelated to barotolerant growth. The development of high levels of barotolerance as demonstrated in this work should cause concern about the safety of high-pressure food processing.     

Food processing by high hydrostatic pressure

High hydrostatic pressure (HHP) process, as a nonthermal process, can be used to inactivate microbes while minimizing chemical reactions in food. In this regard, a HHP level of 100 MPa (986.9 atm/1019.7 kgf/cm²) and more is applied to food. Conventional thermal process damages food components relating color, flavor, and nutrition via enhanced chemical reactions. However, HHP process minimizes the damages and inactivates microbes toward processing high quality safe foods. The first commercial HHP-processed foods were launched in 1990 as fruit products such as jams, and then some other products have been commercialized: retort rice products (enhanced water impregnation), cooked hams and sausages (shelf life extension), soy sauce with minimized salt (short-time fermentation owing to enhanced enzymatic reactions), and beverages (shelf life extension). The characteristics of HHP food processing are reviewed from viewpoints of nonthermal process, history, research and development, physical and biochemical changes, and processing equipment.     

Sub-zero temperature inactivation of carboxypeptidase Y under high hydrostatic pressure.

High hydrostatic pressure induced cold inactivation of carboxypeptidase Y. Carboxypeptidase Y was fully active when exposed to subzero temperature at 0.1 MPa; however, the enzyme became inactive when high hydrostatic pressure and subzero temperature were both applied. When the enzyme was treated at pressures higher than 300 MPa and temperatures lower than -5 degrees C, it underwent an irreversible inactivation in which nearly 50% of the alpha-helical structure was lost as judged by circular dichroism spectral analysis. When the applied pressure was limited to below 200 MPa, the cold inactivation process appeared to be reversible. In the presence of reducing agent, this reversible phenomenon, observed at below 200 MPa, diminished to give an inactive enzyme; the agent reduces some of disulfide bridge(s) in an area of the structure that is newly exposed area because of the cold inactivation. Such an area is unavailable if carboxypeptidase Y is in its native conformation. Because all the disulfide bridges in carboxypeptidase Y locate near the active site cleft, it is suggested that the structural destruction, if any, occurs preferentially in this disulfide rich area. A possible mechanism of pressure-dependent cold inactivation of CPY is to destroy the alpha-helix rich region, which creates an hydrophobic environment. This destruction is probably a result of the reallocation of water molecules. Experiments carried out in the presence of denaturing agents (SDS, urea, GdnHCl), salts, glycerol, and sucrose led to a conclusion consistent with the idea of water reallocation.     

Reversible high hydrostatic pressure inactivation of phosphofructokinase from Escherichia coli.

Tetrameric Escherichia coli phosphofructokinase dissociates reversibly on incubation under hydrostatic pressures of 80 MPa and above, yielding inactive dimers and monomers. The transition is dependent upon enzyme concentration and presence of ligands. The substrate, D-fructose 6-phosphate, which bridges the intersubunit interface at the active site, produces a massive stabilization to pressure, whereas ATP, which binds to only one subunit, induces only a mild stabilization. Both the positive allosteric regulator, GDP, and the negative allosteric regulator, phosphoenolpyruvate, whose binding sites lie at the other subunit interface, produce an intermediate effect. Of these ligands, only ATP increases the rate of reactivation after depressurization.     

Adaptation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae to high hydrostatic pressure causing growth inhibition

Genome-wide mRNA expression profiles of Saccharomyces cerevisiae growing under hydrostatic pressure were characterized. We selected a hydrostatic pressure of 30 MPa at 25 degrees C because yeast cells were able to grow under these conditions, while cell size and complexity were increased after decompression. Functional characterization of pressure-induced genes suggests that genes involved in protein metabolism and membrane metabolism were induced. The response to 30 MPa was significantly different from that observed under lethal conditions because protein degradation was not activated under 30 MPa pressure. Strongly induced genes those that contribute to membrane metabolism and which are also induced by detergents, oils, and membrane stabilizers.     

Inactivation of Campylobacter jejuni by high hydrostatic pressure

AIMS: To investigate the response of Campylobacter jejuni ATCC 35919 and 35921 to high pressure processing (HPP) while suspended in microbiological media and various food systems. METHODS AND RESULTS: Campylobacter jejuni 35919 and 35921 were subjected to 10-min pressure treatments between 100 and 400 MPa at 25 degrees C suspended in Bolton broth, phosphate buffer (0.2 m, pH 7.3), ultra-high temperature (UHT) whole milk, UHT skim milk, soya milk and chicken pureé. The survivability of C. jejuni was further investigated by inoculated pack studies. HPP at 300-325 MPa for 10 min at 25 degrees C was sufficient to reduce viable numbers of both strains to below detectable levels when cells were pressurized in Bolton broth or phosphate buffer. All food products examined offered a protective effect in that an additional 50-75 MPa was required to achieve similar levels of inactivation when compared with broth and buffer. Inoculated pack studies showed that the survivability of C. jejuni following pressurization improved with decreasing post-treatment storage temperature. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: These data demonstrated that HPP at levels of 相似文献   

Effect of environmental stresses and high hydrostatic pressure on the Antibiotic susceptibility of pathogenic Vibrio parahaemolyticus

The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of environmental stresses (temperature, pH, osmotic pressure, high hydrostatic pressure (HHP)) on the antibiotic susceptibility of 12 different pathogenic Vibrio parahaemolyticus isolates. Isolates were subjected to growth at (30 ℃and 37 ℃), an osmotic pressure of (1% and 6% NaCl), a media at pH (6.0 and 9.0) and three different HHP treatment (180, 250, 300 MPa). The minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of tested antibiotics used against unstressed (control), stressed or post-stressed isolates were determined using the broth microdilution method. The study found that incubation under increased salt (6%), reduced salt (1%) and increased pH (9.0) conditions were commonly associated with increased antibiotic resistance. Incubation at 30 ℃ temperature, reduced pH (6.0) and HHP treatment were commonly associated with decreased antibiotic resistance. Besides, both ciprofloxacin and cefotaxime kept a constant MIC during almost all stress challenges. Thus our data demonstrate that exposure of V. parahaemolyticus to some stress conditions may contribute on the rapid development of antibiotic resistance in this food borne pathogen.     

Effects of growth conditions on the resistance of some pathogenic and spoilage species to high pressure homogenization

R. LANCIOTTI, F. GARDINI, M. SINIGAGLIA AND M.E. GUERZONI. 1996. The effects of chemicophysical growth conditions such as pH, temperature and water activity ( a _w) on lethal high homogenization pressure effects on Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Yarrowia lipolytica were investigated. The results, though based on standard media, emphasize the importance of food system composition and its thermal history on the high pressure tolerance of the microbial population.     

Antibacterial activity of marine macroalgae against fish pathogenic Vibrio species

In mariculture, diseases of microbial origin can cause significant economic losses worldwide; the evolution of microorganism resistance to antibiotics has resulted in a growing need for new antibacterial compounds that are effective in veterinary medicine and characterized by limited undesirable side effects. Increased attention has recently been turned to seaweeds as a promising source for metabolites with antimicrobial activity. Vibriosis is a common disease, caused by bacteria of the genus Vibrio, that can result in high mortality in aquaculture. The aim of this study was to identify seaweeds with antibacterial activity against some pathogenic Vibrio species, in order to identify a possible alternative to the commonly used antibiotics in aquaculture. Chloroform/methanol lipidic extracts of six seaweed species (Chaetomorpha linum, Cladophora rupestris, Gracilaria dura, Gracilaria gracilis, Gracilariopsis longissima, Ulva prolifera) were tested for their antibacterial activities against six fish pathogenic Vibrio species using the disc diffusion method. Different susceptibilities to lipidic algal extracts were observed. All six of the seaweed extracts tested demonstrated inhibition of Vibrio ordalii. The best was that from Gracilariopsis longissima, showing activity against Vibrio ordalii, Vibrio salmonicida, Vibrio alginolyticus and Vibrio vulnificus. The results confirmed the potential use of seaweed extracts as a source of antibacterial compounds or as a health-promoting feed for aquaculture.     

Heat shock protein-mediated resistance to high hydrostatic pressure in Escherichia coli

A random library of Escherichia coli MG1655 genomic fragments fused to a promoterless green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene was constructed and screened by differential fluorescence induction for promoters that are induced after exposure to a sublethal high hydrostatic pressure stress. This screening yielded three promoters of genes belonging to the heat shock regulon (dnaK, lon, clpPX), suggesting a role for heat shock proteins in protection against, and/or repair of, damage caused by high pressure. Several further observations provide additional support for this hypothesis: (i). the expression of rpoH, encoding the heat shock-specific sigma factor sigma(32), was also induced by high pressure; (ii). heat shock rendered E. coli significantly more resistant to subsequent high-pressure inactivation, and this heat shock-induced pressure resistance followed the same time course as the induction of heat shock genes; (iii). basal expression levels of GFP from heat shock promoters, and expression of several heat shock proteins as determined by two-dimensional sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of proteins extracted from pulse-labeled cells, was increased in three previously isolated pressure-resistant mutants of E. coli compared to wild-type levels.     

Morphological and physiological characterization of Listeria monocytogenes subjected to high hydrostatic pressure

High hydrostatic pressure is a new food preservation technology known for its capacity to inactivate spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms. That inactivation is usually assessed by the number of colonies growing on solid media after treatment. Under normal conditions the method does not permit recovery of damaged cells and may underestimate the number of cells that will remain viable and grow after a few days in high-pressure-processed foodstuffs. This study investigated the damage inflicted on Listeria monocytogenes cells treated by high pressure for 10 min at 400 MPa in pH 5.6 citrate buffer. Under these conditions, no cell growth occurred after 48 h on plate count agar. Scanning electron microscopy, light scattering by flow cytometry, and cell volume measurements were compared to evaluate the morphological changes in cells after pressurization. All these methods revealed that cellular morphology was not really affected. Esterase activity, as assessed either by enzymatic activity assays or by carboxy fluorescein diacetate fluorescence monitored by flow cytometry, was dramatically lowered, but not totally obliterated, under the effects of treatment. The measurement of propidium iodide uptake followed by flow cytometry demonstrated that membrane integrity was preserved in a small part of the population, although the membrane potential measured by analytical methods or evaluated by oxonol uptake was reduced from -86 to -5 mV. These results showed that such combined methods as fluorescent dyes monitored by flow cytometry and physiological activity measurements provide valuable indications of cellular viability.     

Delay in the cleavage of Tetrahymena pyriformis exposed to high hydrostatic pressure

Early cleavage stages of Tetrahymena pyriformis were exposed to 250 atms pressure for periods ranging from 20–200 minutes. Pressure halted cleavage which, in those cells exposed for only a short time, was resumed soon after decompression. Cells exposed to longer periods of pressure treatment failed to resume cleavage soon after decompression but cleaved after a delay approximating to a generation time. In the former case, the cleavage furrow remained intact; whereas in the latter case, the cleavage furrow frequently resorbed and a new furrow was formed to accomplish the delayed cleavage. The results appear consistent with the hypothesis that the hypothetical macro-molecular entity P₂ of Rasmussen and Zeuthen is pressure labile and involved in the mechanical process of cleavage.     

Effects of high hydrostatic pressure on Clostridium sporogenes spores

Spores of Clostridium sporogenes were found to be resistant to ultra high pressure, with treatments of 600 MPa for 30 min at 20 °C causing no significant inactivation. Combination treatments including heat and pressure applied simultaneously (e.g. 400 MPa at 60 °C for 30 min) or sequentially (e.g. 80 °C for 10 min followed by 400 MPa for 30 min) proved more effective at inactivating spores. Pressure cycling (e.g. 60 MPa followed by 400 MPa at 60 °C) also reduced spore numbers. Overall, these pressure treatments resulted in less than a 3 log reduction, and it was concluded that the spores could not be inactivated by pressure alone. This could indicate that for the effective inactivation of bacterial spores, high pressure technology may have to be used in combination with other preservation methods.