scholarly journals Architecture and Viability of the Biofilms Formed by Nine Listeria Strains on Various Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Materials

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (23) ◽  
pp. 5256 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cristina Rodríguez-Melcón ◽  
Carlos Alonso-Calleja ◽  
Rosa Capita

Biofilms are a key factor in the persistence of Listeria in food processing plants, representing a potential source of foodstuff contamination. Nine Listeria strains (eight Listeria monocytogenes and one Listeria ivanovii) were studied by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) for their ability to form biofilm on glass, polystyrene, graphene and resin after 120 h of incubation at 12 °C. The relationship between cell surface hydrophobicity and biofilm formation was also investigated. On comparing the data for all the strains, similar (P > 0.05) biovolume values were obtained on glass (average 3.39 ± 1.69 µm3/µm2) and graphene (2.93 ± 1.14 µm3/µm2), while higher (P < 0.05) values were observed for polystyrene (4.39 ± 4.14 µm3/µm2). The highest (P < 0.01) biovolume levels were found in the biofilms formed on resin (7.35 ± 1.45 µm3/µm2), which also had the smallest biomass of inactivated cells (0.38 ± 0.37 µm3/µm2 vs. 1.20 ± 1.12 µm3/µm2 on the remaining surfaces; P < 0.001). No relationship was noted between cell surface hydrophobicity and biofilm-forming ability.

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhiyan He ◽  
Xu Zhang ◽  
Zhongchen Song ◽  
Lu Li ◽  
Haishuang Chang ◽  
...  

Abstract Porphyromonas gingivalis is a causative agent in the onset and progression of periodontal disease. This study aims to investigate the effects of quercetin, a natural plant product, on P. gingivalis virulence properties including gingipain, haemagglutinin and biofilm formation. Antimicrobial effects and morphological changes of quercetin on P. gingivalis were detected. The effects of quercetin on gingipains activities and hemolytic, hemagglutination activities were evaluated using chromogenic peptides and sheep erythrocytes. The biofilm biomass and metabolism with different concentrations of quercetin were assessed by the crystal violet and MTT assay. The structures and thickness of the biofilms were observed by confocal laser scanning microscopy. Bacterial cell surface properties including cell surface hydrophobicity and aggregation were also evaluated. The mRNA expression of virulence and iron/heme utilization was assessed using real time-PCR. Quercetin exhibited antimicrobial effects and damaged the cell structure. Quercetin can inhibit gingipains, hemolytic, hemagglutination activities and biofilm formation at sub-MIC concentrations. Molecular docking analysis further indicated that quercetin can interact with gingipains. The biofilm became sparser and thinner after quercetin treatment. Quercetin also modulate cell surface hydrophobicity and aggregation. Expression of the genes tested was down-regulated in the presence of quercetin. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that quercetin inhibited various virulence factors of P. gingivalis.


2000 ◽  
Vol 48 (4) ◽  
pp. 569-577 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Itoh ◽  
K. Kawai ◽  
A. Serizawa ◽  
K. Yasumura ◽  
K. Ogawa ◽  
...  

There has been considerable interest in the relationship between hormone-secreting endocrine cells and their microvessels in human pituitary gland. However, microcirculatory networks have rarely been studied in three dimensions (3D). This study was designed to visualize and to reveal the relationship between hormone-secreting endocrine cells and their microvessel environment in 3D, using rat pituitary glands under various (hyper/hypo) experimental conditions by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). Female adult Wistar rats were used after bilateral adrenalectomy or ACTH administration for 2 weeks. Clear 3D reconstructed images of ACTH cells, the microvessel network and counterstained nuclei were obtained at a maximal focus depth of 1 mm by CLSM without any background noise. In the hyperfunctional state, slender cytoplasmic processes of hypertrophic stellate ACTH cells frequently extended to the microvessels. In the hypofunctional state, ACTH cells appeared atrophic and round with scanty cytoplasm, and cytoplasmic adhesions to microvessel network patterns were inconspicuous. Therefore, 3D reconstructed imaging by CLSM is a useful technique with which to investigate the microvessel environment of hormone-secreting cells and has the potential to reveal dynamic hormone-secreting pathways.


Cosmetics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 32
Author(s):  
Samia Almoughrabie ◽  
Chrisse Ngari ◽  
Romain Briandet ◽  
Valérie Poulet ◽  
Florence Dubois-Brissonnet

The reliability of the challenge test depends, among other parameters, on the spatial distribution of microorganisms in the matrix. The present study aims to quickly identify factors that are susceptible to impair a uniform distribution of inoculated bacteria in cosmetic matrices in this context. We used mosaic confocal laser scanning microscopy (M-CLSM) to obtain rapid assessment of the impact of the composition and viscosity of cosmetic matrices on S. aureus spatial distribution. Several models of cosmetic matrices were formulated with different concentrations of two thickeners and were inoculated with three S. aureus strains having different levels of hydrophobicity. The spatial distribution of S. aureus in each matrix was evaluated according to the frequency distribution of the fluorescence values of at least 1350 CLSM images. We showed that, whatever the thickener used, an increasingly concentration of thickener results in increasingly bacterial clustered distribution. Moreover, higher bacterial hydrophobicity also resulted in a more clustered spatial distribution. In conclusion, CLSM-based method allows a rapid characterization of bacterial spatial distribution in complex emulsified systems. Both matrix viscosity and bacterial surface hydrophobicity affect the bacterial spatial distribution which can have an impact on the reliability of bacterial enumeration during challenge test.


IAWA Journal ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hiroki Sakagami ◽  
Junji Matsumura ◽  
Kazuyuki Oda

Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) was applied as a new method of visualizing the shrinkage of wood and its anisotropy. Control of relative humidity and temperature in a specialized environment chamber made it possible to acquire transverse images of tracheids of Akamatsu (Pinus densiflora) from the saturated condition to the dried condition. The shrinkage of tracheid cells was also determined by measuring the tangential diameter of tracheid and lumen, the radial diameter of tracheid and lumen, and the thickness of tangential and radial walls. Moreover, this technique makes it possible to discuss the relationship between moisture content and tracheid cell shape. We found the CLSM technique to be an effective method for visualizing shrinkage of tracheid cells with desorption.


2020 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. 162-171
Author(s):  
Rachata Maneein ◽  
Camille Martinand-Mari ◽  
Julien Claude ◽  
Jirarach Kitana ◽  
Noppadon Kitana

Abstract We investigated the embryological development of Esanthelphusa nani (Naiyanetr, 1984), a common rice-field crab in northern Thailand, using confocal laser scanning microscopy. The development of E. nani can be completed in eggs within 12 d resulting in a hatchling stage corresponding to the megalopa stage. Pre-organogenetic stages were characterized by a superficial cleavage, including egg cleavage, egg blastula, and egg gastrula. Organogenesis stages were identified by the appearances of appendages and was divided into egg nauplius, egg zoea, and egg megalopa. Crabs metamorphose to juveniles after hatching. By providing new comparative data, our study shed some new light on the relationship between environment, phylogeny, and development, opening a potential area of research from the perspective of ecological, evolutionary, and developmental biology.


2009 ◽  
Vol 75 (24) ◽  
pp. 7814-7821 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olivier Habimana ◽  
Mickael Meyrand ◽  
Thierry Meylheuc ◽  
Saulius Kulakauskas ◽  
Romain Briandet

ABSTRACT Planktonic Listeria monocytogenes cells in food-processing environments tend most frequently to adhere to solid surfaces. Under these conditions, they are likely to encounter resident biofilms rather than a raw solid surface. Although metabolic interactions between L. monocytogenes and resident microflora have been widely studied, little is known about the biofilm properties that influence the initial fixation of L. monocytogenes to the biofilm interface. To study these properties, we created a set of model resident Lactococcus lactis biofilms with various architectures, types of matrices, and individual cell surface properties. This was achieved using cell wall mutants that affect bacterial chain formation, exopolysaccharide (EPS) synthesis and surface hydrophobicity. The dynamics of the formation of these biofilm structures were analyzed in flow cell chambers using in situ time course confocal laser scanning microscopy imaging. All the L. lactis biofilms tested reduced the initial immobilization of L. monocytogenes compared to the glass substratum of the flow cell. Significant differences were seen in L. monocytogenes settlement as a function of the genetic background of resident lactococcal biofilm cells. In particular, biofilms of the L. lactis chain-forming mutant resulted in a marked increase in L. monocytogenes settlement, while biofilms of the EPS-secreting mutant efficiently prevented pathogen fixation. These results offer new insights into the role of resident biofilms in governing the settlement of pathogens on food chain surfaces and could be of relevance in the field of food safety controls.


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