Effect of avian intestinal microflora possessing adhering and hydrophobic properties on competitive exclusion of Salmonella typhimurium from chicks.

The role of adherence and hydrophobic properties of native gut microflora in competitive exclusion of salmonellas from chicks is reported. Pure bacterial strains were isolated from washed caeca of 3-d-old chicks which had been treated on the day of hatch with a microflora from salmonella-free adult birds. These strains, when added to known mixtures of pure cultures, improved the efficacy of the mixtures in protecting chicks against a challenge of 10(5) cfu of Salmonella typhimurium. Strains from washed caeca and from other sources were also screened for hydrophobic properties. Undefined microflora and strains freshly isolated from washed caeca and which were hydrophobic improved the efficacy of protective mixtures, while none of the combination of hydrophobic strains obtained from stored strains had any beneficial effect.     

Effect of cloned Salmonella typhimurium enterotoxin on rabbit intestinal motility

Abstract We analysed the small intestine myoelectric responses of anesthetized New Zealand albino rabbits to Escherichia coli lysates containing an enterotoxin cloned from Salmonella typhimurium . Migrating action potential complex, which consisted of rapid bursts of action potentials and secretion of fluid, was observed only in ileal loops injected with the enterotoxin-containing lysate. Migrating action potential complex produced by Stn usually propagated aborally, which was typical of cholera toxin, but orad or bidirectional propagation occurred from a single point of origin when activity was intense. Gell lysates from an E. coli clone containing vectors alone, as well as proximal control segments injected with phosphate-buffered saline, gave neither a change in motility nor fluid secretion. These results show that Stn caused dramatic changes in intestinal motility and substantial fluid production.     

Influence of continuous challenge via the feed on competitive exclusion of salmonellas from broiler chicks

A survey has been made of the bacterial and fungal populations carried at three different sites on the feet of 60 individuals. The bacteria found at the three sites were quantitatively similar and Micrococcaceae and aerobic coryneform bacteria predominated. The carriage of other bacterial groups was generally low. There was a quantitative variation between sites—mean total counts were 1.04 ± 10⁷ cfu/cm² skin in the fourth toe cleft, 4.08 ± 10⁵ cfu/cm² skin on the sole and 1.21 ± 10³ cfu/cm² skin on the dorsal surface. Staphylococci were most often dominant on the sole and dorsal surface whereas aerobic coryneforms predominated in the majority of fourth toe clefts. The higher the total count at a given site the more likely it was that aerobic coryneform bacteria predominated. The skin surface pH was significantly higher on the sole (mean value 6.25) than on the dorsal surface (mean value 5.23). Factors controlling the microbial ecology of the foot are discussed.     

Deoxyribokinase from Salmonella typhimurium. Purification and properties

Deoxyribokinase, which catalyzes the ATP-dependent phosphorylation of 2-deoxy-d-ribose to 2-deoxy-d-ribose-5-P as the first step in the inducible fermentation pathway for this sugar in Salmonella typhimurium, was purified approximately 600-fold from deoxyribose-grown cells. Apparent K_m′s for 2-deoxy-d-ribose and ATP were 0.1 and 0.5 mm, respectively. The enzyme had an absolute requirement for divalent cations which was best satisfied by Mg²⁺. Optimal activity was obtained in the presence of 0.5 m NH₄⁺ or Cs⁺. Rb⁺ and K⁺ also stimulated enzyme activity whereas Na⁺ and Li⁺ inhibited. d-Ribose and 2-deoxy-d-ribitol could replace 2-deoxy-d-ribose as phosphoryl acceptor, and several ribo- and deoxyribonucleotides could replace ATP as phosphoryl donor. Molecular weight determinations gave values of 67,800 for the native enzyme and 33,500 for the dissociated enzyme, suggesting the probable existence of two subunits of similar size.     

Use of bioluminescence to model the thermal inactivation of Salmonella typhimurium in the presence of a competitive microflora.

The survival of Salmonella typhimurium was investigated by bioluminescence and standard plating techniques in pure cultures and in the presence of competitors after the cultures were heated to 55 degrees C for increasing lengths of time. Decimal reduction (D) values increased from 0.43 to 2.09 min in the presence of 10(8) CFU of competitors ml-1, indicating a significant protective effect.     

Induction of rpoS in Salmonella typhimurium by nutrient-poor and depleted media is slower than that achieved by a competitive microflora

The presence of a viable competitive microflora, at greater than 10(8) cfu ml-1, is known to advance the induction of RpoS-mediated gene expression in a sub-population of Salmonella typhimurium. As starvation is known to induce RpoS, one action of the competitive microflora could be to cause depletion of essential nutrients. The aim of the current experiments was to determine whether this was the case by examining RpoS induction in Salm. typhimurium in reduced nutrient media. RpoS-mediated gene expression in Salm. typhimurium was not advanced so significantly in 'conditioned' or diluted medium as it was in the presence of competitors, which indicates that nutrient depletion was not the responsible mechanism. The effect of a competitive microflora has implications for models of bacterial survival during food processing, as RpoS ultimately regulates both stress resistance and virulence.     

Purification and properties of trimethylamine oxide reductase from Salmonella typhimurium.

The major inducible trimethylamine oxide reductase was purified from Salmonella typhimurium LT2. The molecular weights of the native enzyme were estimated to be 332,000 by gel filtration and 170,000 by nondenaturing disc gel electrophoresis. In sodium dodecyl sulfate-gel electrophoresis, the enzyme formed a single band of molecular weight 84,000. The isoelectric point was 4.28. Maximum activity was at pH 5.65 and 45 degrees C. Reduced flavin mononucleotide, but not reduced flavin adenine dinucleotide, served as an electron donor. The Km for trimethylamine oxide was 0.89 mM and Vmax was 1,450 U/mg of protein. The enzyme reduced chlorate with a Km of 2.2 mM and a Vmax of 350 U/mg of protein.     

Competitive exclusion of Escherichia coli O157: H7 from chicks with anaerobic cultures of faecal microflora

The effect of anaerobic cultures of faecal microflora from adult birds on colonization with Escherichia coli O157: H7 was evaluated in two breeds of young broiler and layer chicks. Protection against this pathogen was evident in both types of chicks, but was better in layers.     

Protection from virulent Salmonella groups B and D after the peroral immunization of chicks with a hybrid of Salmonella typhimurium and Salmonella dublin]

Chickens over 10 days old, infected orally with virulent salmonellae, were found to remain alive. Histologic investigation showed the development of mild enteritis and more pronounced, lasting for more than two weeks, inflammation of the cecum, dissemination and focal lesions in the liver (granulomas, necrosis). In experiments on the oral immunization of 3-day old chickens the bivalent hybrid of S. typhimurium vaccine strain 274 and S. dublin induced only pronounced blast transformation in lymphatic follicles of the cecum, hyperplasia of activated macrophages and formation of granulomas from these macrophages and lymphocytes. After oral challenge of the immunized chickens with virulent salmonellae of group B (S. typhimurium) and group D (S. enteritidis, S. gallinarum-pullorum) the chickens exhibited sharply pronounced protection against adhesion, colonization and invasion, and a few penetrating bacteria were rapidly destroyed by immune macrophages. Hybrid strain 274/O9 proved to be suitable for use as oral bivalent vaccine against salmonellosis in chickens.     

Effect of cyclopentaneglycine on metabolism in Salmonella typhimurium

Cyclopentaneglycine (CPG) inhibited the growth of wild-type Salmonella typhimurium. The inhibition was overcome by isoleucine or any isoleucine precursor formed after threonine. CPG appeared to mimic isoleucine as a strong inhibitor of the activity of l-threonine deaminase. The analogue was a poor inhibitor of isoleucyl-transfer ribonucleic acid synthetase. CPG did not appear to be incorporated into protein nor did it replace isoleucine in repression. Cells that had recovered from growth inhibition by CPG had derepressed levels of the isoleucine-valine biosynthetic enzymes.     

Effect of antibiotics on intestinal microflora and production of metabolites

Methodical approaches to detection of relation between intestinal microflora and its metabolites are described. The microbial origin of certain compounds can be asserted by a decrease in their production after exposure to antibacterial drugs or the absence of their production in microbe-free animals. The authors consider that parallel investigation of intestinal microflora and its metabolites after exposure to various agents e.g. narrow spectrum antibiotics or specific substrates is the most accurate methodical approach to detection of their interrelations. Data on the effect of four drugs i.e. kanamycin, metronidazole, cefotaxime and bactrim on production of 10 bacterial metabolites: p-cresol, phenol, indican, acetic, propionic, butyric, isobutyric, valeric, isovaleric and caproic acids in rats are presented. Correlation between the metabolites and the intestinal microflora composition was revealed. It is concluded that detection of microorganisms responsible for production of definite metabolites requires at the maximum: (1) exposure to drugs of different spectra, (2) detection of changes in intestinal microflora by biotope++ and (3) investigation of mucosa microflora which more exactly characterizes metabolism of definite biotops.