scholarly journals Behavior of the Meat-Borne Bacterium Lactobacillus sakei during Its Transit through the Gastrointestinal Tracts of Axenic and Conventional Mice

2009 ◽  
Vol 75 (13) ◽  
pp. 4498-4505 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fabrizio Chiaramonte ◽  
Sébastien Blugeon ◽  
Stéphane Chaillou ◽  
Philippe Langella ◽  
Monique Zagorec

ABSTRACT A Lactobacillus sakei strain named FLEC01 was isolated from human feces and characterized genotypically. Comparison of the genetic features of this strain with those of both the meat-borne L. sakei strain 23K and another human isolate, LTH5590, showed that they belong to different but closely related clusters. The three L. sakei strains did not persist and only transited through the gastrointestinal tracts (GITs) of conventional C3H/HeN mice. In contrast, they all colonized the GITs of axenic mice and rapidly reached a population of 109 CFU/g of feces, which remained stable until day 51. Five days after mice were fed, a first subpopulation, characterized by small colonies, appeared and reached 50% of the total L. sakei population in mice. Fifteen to 21 days after feeding, a second subpopulation, characterized by rough colonies, appeared. It coexisted with the two other populations until day 51, and its cell shapes were also affected, suggesting a dysfunction of the cell division or cell wall. No clear difference between the behaviors of the meat-borne strain and the two human isolates in both conventional and axenic mice was observed, suggesting that L. sakei is a food-borne bacterium rather than a commensal one and that its presence in human feces originates from diet. Previous observations of Escherichia coli strains suggest that the mouse GIT environment could induce mutations to increase their survival and colonization capacities. Here, we observed similar mutations concerning a food-grade gram-positive bacterium for the first time.

2008 ◽  
Vol 190 (20) ◽  
pp. 6598-6608 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tina Jaeger ◽  
Christoph Mayer

ABSTRACT The MurNAc etherase MurQ of Escherichia coli is essential for the catabolism of the bacterial cell wall sugar N-acetylmuramic acid (MurNAc) obtained either from the environment or from the endogenous cell wall (i.e., recycling). High-level expression of murQ is required for growth on MurNAc as the sole source of carbon and energy, whereas constitutive low-level expression of murQ is sufficient for the recycling of peptidoglycan fragments continuously released from the cell wall during growth of the bacteria. Here we characterize for the first time the expression of murQ and its regulation by MurR, a member of the poorly characterized RpiR/AlsR family of transcriptional regulators. Deleting murR abolished the extensive lag phase observed for E. coli grown on MurNAc and enhanced murQ transcription some 20-fold. MurR forms a stable multimer (most likely a tetramer) and binds to two adjacent inverted repeats within an operator region. In this way MurR represses transcription from the murQ promoter and also interferes with its own transcription. MurNAc-6-phosphate, the substrate of MurQ, was identified as a specific inducer that weakens binding of MurR to the operator. Moreover, murQ transcription depends on the activation by cyclic AMP (cAMP)-catabolite activator protein (CAP) bound to a class I site upstream of the murQ promoter. murR and murQ are divergently orientated and expressed from nonoverlapping face-to-face (convergent) promoters, yielding transcripts that are complementary at their 5′ ends. As a consequence of this unusual promoter arrangement, cAMP-CAP also affects murR transcription, presumably by acting as a roadblock for RNA polymerase.


F1000Research ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 241 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sven van Teeffelen ◽  
Lars D. Renner

Cell shape and cell volume are important for many bacterial functions. In recent years, we have seen a range of experimental and theoretical work that led to a better understanding of the determinants of cell shape and size. The roles of different molecular machineries for cell-wall expansion have been detailed and partially redefined, mechanical forces have been shown to influence cell shape, and new connections between metabolism and cell shape have been proposed. Yet the fundamental determinants of the different cellular dimensions remain to be identified. Here, we highlight some of the recent developments and focus on the determinants of rod-like cell shape and size in the well-studied model organismsEscherichia coliandBacillus subtilis.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Louise Emma Crozier ◽  
Jacqueline Marshall ◽  
Ashleigh Holmes ◽  
Kathryn Wright ◽  
Yannick Rossez ◽  
...  

Arabinose is a major plant aldopentose in the form of arabinans complexed in cell wall polysaccharides or glycoproteins (AGP), but comparatively rare as a monosaccharide. L-arabinose is an important bacterial metabolite, accessed by pectolytic microorganisms such as Pectobacterium atrosepticum via pectin and hemicellulose degrading enzymes. However, not all plant-associated microbes encode cell wall degrading enzymes, yet can metabolise L-arabinose, raising questions about their use of and access to the glycan in plants. Therefore, we examined L-arabinose metabolism in the food-borne pathogen Escherichia coli O157:H7 (isolate Sakai) during its colonisation of plants. L-arabinose metabolism (araBA) and transport (araF) genes were activated at 18 C in vitro by L-arabinose and expressed over prolonged periods in planta. Although deletion of araBAD did not impact the colonisation ability of E. coli O157:H7 (Sakai) on plants, araA was induced on exposure to spinach cell wall polysaccharides. Furthermore, debranched and arabinan oligosaccharides induced ara metabolism gene expression in vitro, and stimulated modest proliferation, while immobilised pectin did not. Thus, E. coli O157:H7 (Sakai) can utilise pectin/AGP-derived L-arabinose as a metabolite, but differs fundamentally in ara gene organisation, transport and regulation from the related pectinolytic species P. atrosepticum, reflective of distinct plant-associated lifestyles.


1971 ◽  
Vol 17 (7) ◽  
pp. 865-869 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Sue Criswell ◽  
Judith H. Marston ◽  
Wayne A. Stenback ◽  
S. H. Black ◽  
Herman L. Gardner

The fine structure of Haemophilus vaginalis 594 (ATCC 14018) was examined by electron microscopy, and the biochemical composition of its cell wall was determined. For comparison, similar studies were done with a Gram-positive bacterium, Bacillus megaterium KM, and a Gram-negative bacterium, Escherichia coli B. Both Haemophilus vaginalis 594 and Escherichia coli B possessed a multiple-layered cell wall containing 11 to 14 amino acids, a low mucopeptide content, and no teichoic acid. In contrast, Bacillus megaterium KM had a thick, amorphous cell wall with five amino acids, high mucopeptide content, and detectable amounts of teichoic acid. Haemophilus vaginalis 594 resembled Escherichia coli, a member of the Gram-negative group of organisms. The structural and biochemical properties of Haemophilus vaginalis, which are described in detail, may prove useful in determining the ultimate taxonomic position of this species.


2013 ◽  
Vol 82 (1) ◽  
pp. 193-201 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura A. Gonyar ◽  
Melissa M. Kendall

ABSTRACTEnterohemorrhagicEscherichia coli(EHEC) O157:H7 is an important food-borne pathogen responsible for disease outbreaks worldwide. In order to colonize the human gastrointestinal (GI) tract and cause disease, EHEC must be able to sense the host environment and promote expression of virulence genes essential for adherence. Ethanolamine (EA) is an important metabolite for EHEC in the GI tract, and EA is also a signal that EHEC uses to activate virulence traits. Here, we report that EA influenced EHEC adherence to epithelial cells and fimbrial gene expression. Quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR indicated that EA promoted the transcription of the genes in characterized and putative fimbrial operons. Moreover, putative fimbrial structures were produced by EHEC cells grown with EA but not in medium lacking EA. Additionally, we defined two previously uncharacterized EA-regulated fimbrial operons,loc10andloc11. We also tested whether choline or serine, both of which are also components of cell membranes, activated fimbrial gene expression. In addition to EA, choline activated fimbrial gene expression in EHEC. These findings describe for the first time the transcription of several putative fimbrial loci in EHEC. Importantly, the biologically relevant molecules EA and choline, which are abundant in the GI tract, promoted expression of these fimbriae.


2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Elena Cosciani-Cunico ◽  
Elena Dalzini ◽  
Stefania Ducoli ◽  
Chiara Sfameni ◽  
Barbara Bertasi ◽  
...  

The behaviour of <em>Listeria monocytogenes</em> and <em>Escherichia coli</em> O157:H7 was studied during the manufacture and ripening of two traditional Italian Alps cheeses. Each cheese type was manufactured in a pilot plan from raw cow milk (without the addition of starter cultures) artificially inoculated with <em>L. monocytogenes</em> and <em>E. coli</em> O157:H7 to a final concentration of about 4 log CFU/mL. The pathogens were enumerated throughout the cheese making and ripening processes to study their behaviour. When the milk was inoculated with 4 Log CFU/mL, the pathogens counts increased in the first time during the manufacturing process and then remained constant, until the end of ripening, or decreased significantly. Results indicate that the environment and nature of food borne pathogens affected the concentration of the bacteria during the manufacturing and ripening process. Thus, the presence of low cells numbers of <em>L. monocytogenes</em> and <em>E. coli</em> O157:H7 in milk destined for the production of raw milk cheeses characterized by a cooking of the curd less than 48°C can constitute a hazard for the consumer.


1997 ◽  
Vol 161 ◽  
pp. 491-504 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frances Westall

AbstractThe oldest cell-like structures on Earth are preserved in silicified lagoonal, shallow sea or hydrothermal sediments, such as some Archean formations in Western Australia and South Africa. Previous studies concentrated on the search for organic fossils in Archean rocks. Observations of silicified bacteria (as silica minerals) are scarce for both the Precambrian and the Phanerozoic, but reports of mineral bacteria finds, in general, are increasing. The problems associated with the identification of authentic fossil bacteria and, if possible, closer identification of bacteria type can, in part, be overcome by experimental fossilisation studies. These have shown that not all bacteria fossilise in the same way and, indeed, some seem to be very resistent to fossilisation. This paper deals with a transmission electron microscope investigation of the silicification of four species of bacteria commonly found in the environment. The Gram positiveBacillus laterosporusand its spore produced a robust, durable crust upon silicification, whereas the Gram negativePseudomonas fluorescens, Ps. vesicularis, andPs. acidovoranspresented delicately preserved walls. The greater amount of peptidoglycan, containing abundant metal cation binding sites, in the cell wall of the Gram positive bacterium, probably accounts for the difference in the mode of fossilisation. The Gram positive bacteria are, therefore, probably most likely to be preserved in the terrestrial and extraterrestrial rock record.


Author(s):  
Manfred E. Bayer

Bacterial viruses adsorb specifically to receptors on the host cell surface. Although the chemical composition of some of the cell wall receptors for bacteriophages of the T-series has been described and the number of receptor sites has been estimated to be 150 to 300 per E. coli cell, the localization of the sites on the bacterial wall has been unknown.When logarithmically growing cells of E. coli are transferred into a medium containing 20% sucrose, the cells plasmolize: the protoplast shrinks and becomes separated from the somewhat rigid cell wall. When these cells are fixed in 8% Formaldehyde, post-fixed in OsO4/uranyl acetate, embedded in Vestopal W, then cut in an ultramicrotome and observed with the electron microscope, the separation of protoplast and wall becomes clearly visible, (Fig. 1, 2). At a number of locations however, the protoplasmic membrane adheres to the wall even under the considerable pull of the shrinking protoplast. Thus numerous connecting bridges are maintained between protoplast and cell wall. Estimations of the total number of such wall/membrane associations yield a number of about 300 per cell.


2020 ◽  
Vol 54 (2) ◽  
pp. 313-320
Author(s):  
O. V. Anissimova

Euastrum lacustre is reported for Russia for the first time. This alcaliphilic species was found in the periphyton and plankton of three lakes in the Kursk Region (European Russia). A description of morphology, including the relief of cell wall, and habitats where this taxon is found are represented. LM and SEM microphotographs are provided. Morphological differences of E. lacustre from similar species are discussed. New species for region, namely Closterium aciculare, Cosmarium formosulum, C. granatum, C. pseudoinsigne, C. reniforme and Staurastrum pingue, are found in the samples together with E. lacustre.


2020 ◽  
Vol 17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Igor K. Yakuschenko ◽  
Nataliya N. Pozdeeva ◽  
Viktoriya A. Mumyatova ◽  
Alexey A. Terentiev ◽  
Svyatoslav Ya. Gadomsky

: Iso-octenidine, an isomer of octenidine dihydrochloride, was synthesized and studied for the first time. Isooctenidine was demonstrated to be 3-fold more soluble in water in comparison to original octenidine, and both substances had remarkably similar antibacterial activity (tested on Escherichia Coli and Micrococcus luteus).


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