Prolonged cold stress response of Escherichia coli O157 and the role of rpoS

Bacterial RNase III: Targets and physiology

Bacteria can rapidly adapt to changes in their environment thanks to the innate flexibility of their genetic expression. The high turnover rate of RNAs, in particular messenger and regulatory RNAs, provides an important contribution to this dynamic adjustment. Recycling of RNAs is ensured by ribonucleases, among which RNase III is the focus of this review. RNase III enzymes are highly conserved from prokaryotes to eukaryotes and have the specific ability to cleave double-stranded RNAs. The role of RNase III in bacterial physiology has remained poorly explored for a long time. However, transcriptomic approaches recently uncovered a large impact of RNase III in gene expression in a wide range of bacteria, generating renewed interest in the physiological role of RNase III. In this review, we first describe the RNase III targets identified from global approaches in 8 bacterial species within 4 Phyla. We then present the conserved and unique functions of bacterial RNase III focusing on growth, resistance to stress, biofilm formation, motility and virulence. Altogether, this review highlights the underestimated impact of RNase III in bacterial adaptation.

Dynamic Transcriptional Landscape of Mycobacterium smegmatis under Cold Stress

Bacterial adaptation to cold stress requires wide transcriptional reprogramming. However, the knowledge of molecular mechanisms underlying the cold stress response of mycobacteria is limited. We conducted comparative transcriptomic analysis of Mycobacterium smegmatis subjected to cold shock. The growth of M. smegmatis cultivated at 37 °C was arrested just after exposure to cold (acclimation phase) but later (by 24 h) was resumed at a much slower rate (adaptation phase). Transcriptomic analyses revealed distinct gene expression patterns corresponding to the two phases. During the acclimation phase, differential expression was observed for genes associated with cell wall remodeling, starvation response, and osmotic pressure stress, in parallel with global changes in the expression of transcription factors and the downregulation of ribosomal genes, suggesting an energy-saving strategy to support survival. At the adaptation phase, the expression profiles were recovered, indicating restoration of the processes repressed earlier. Comparison of transcriptional responses in M. smegmatis with those in other bacteria revealed unique adaptation strategies developed by mycobacteria. Our findings shed light on the molecular mechanisms underlying M. smegmatis survival under cold stress. Further research should clarify whether the discovered transcriptional mechanisms exist in other mycobacterial species, including pathogenic Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which could be important for transmission control.

Isolation of novel cold-tolerance genes from rhizosphere microorganisms of Antarctic plants by functional metagenomics

The microorganisms that thrive in Antarctica, one of the coldest environments on the planet, have developed diverse adaptation mechanisms to survive in these extreme conditions. Through functional metagenomics, in this work, 29 new genes related to cold tolerance have been isolated and characterized from metagenomic libraries of microorganisms from the rhizosphere of two Antarctic plants. Both libraries were hosted in two cold-sensitive strains of Escherichia coli: DH10B ΔcsdA and DH10B ΔcsdA Δrnr. The csdA gene encodes a DEAD-box RNA helicase and rnr gene encodes an exoribonuclease, both essential for cold-adaptation. Cold-tolerance tests have been carried out in solid and liquid media at 15°C. Among the cold-tolerance genes identified, 12 encode hypothetical and unknown proteins, and 17 encode a wide variety of different proteins previously related to other well-characterized ones involved in metabolism reactions, transport and membrane processes, or genetic information processes. Most of them have been connected to cold-tolerance mechanisms. Interestingly, 13 genes had no homologs in E. coli, thus potentially providing entirely new adaptation strategies for this bacterium. Moreover, ten genes also conferred resistance to UV-B radiation, another extreme condition in Antarctica.

Sigma factor RpoS positively affects the spoilage activity of Shewanella baltica and negatively regulates its adhesion effect

Shewanella baltica is the dominant bacterium that causes spoilage of seafood. RpoS is an alternative sigma factor regulating stress adaptation in many bacteria. However, the detailed regulatory mechanism of RpoS in S. baltica remains unclear. This study aims to investigate the regulatory function of RpoS on spoilage activity and adhesion ability in S. baltica. Results revealed that RpoS had no effect on the growth of S. baltica, but positively regulated the spoilage potential of S. baltica accompanied by a slower decline of total volatile basic nitrogen, lightness, and the sensory score of fish fillets inoculated with rpoS mutant. RpoS negatively regulated the adhesion ability, which was manifested in that the bacterial number of rpoS mutant adhered to stainless steel coupon was higher than that of the S. baltica in the early stage, and the biofilm formed on glass slide by rpoS mutant was thicker and tighter compared with S. baltica. Transcriptomic analysis showed that a total of 397 differentially expressed genes were regulated by RpoS. These genes were mainly enrichment in flagellar assembly, fatty acid metabolism/degradation, and RNA degradation pathways, which were associated with motility, biofilm formation and cold adaptation. This study demonstrated that RpoS is a primary regulator involved in flagellar assembly mediated biofilm formation and cold adaptation-related spoilage activity of S. baltica. Our research will provide significant insights into the control of microbiological spoilage in seafood.

Behavior of Shiga-toxin-producing Escherichia coli in ewe milk stored at different temperatures and during the manufacture and ripening of a raw milk sheep cheese (Zamorano style)

This study was conducted to assess the survival of 2 wild Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli strains (one serotype O157:H7 and one non-O157:H7) in ewe milk stored at different conditions and to examine the fate of the O157 strain during the manufacture and ripening of a Spanish sheep hard variety of raw milk cheese (Zamorano). The strains were selected among a population of 50 isolates, which we obtained from ewe milk, because of their high resistance to 0.3% lactic acid. Both strains were inoculated (approximately 2 log₁₀ cfu/mL) in raw and heat-treated (low-temperature holding, LTH; 63°C/30 min) ewe milk and stored for 5 d at 6, 8, and 10°C and also according to a simulation approach for assessing the effects of failures in the cold chain. The minimum growth temperature for the O157:H7 strain in LTH and raw ewe milk was 8°C. For the non-O157:H7 strain, the lowest temperature showing bacterial growth in LTH ewe milk was 6°C, but it did not grow at any of the tested conditions in raw milk. It appears that the O157 strain was more susceptible to cold stress but was likely a better competitor than the non-O157 strain against the milk autochthonous microbiota. For manufacture of Zamorano cheese, raw milk was inoculated with approximately 3 log₁₀ cfu/mL, and after 2 mo of ripening at 10 to 12°C, the cheeses showed the expected general characteristics for this variety. The O157:H7 strain increased 0.9 log₁₀ cfu/g after whey drainage and during ripening and storage decreased by 2.9 log₁₀ cfu/g. Nevertheless, its detectable level (estimated at 6.2 cfu/g) after 2 mo of ripening suggests that Zamorano cheese manufactured from raw ewe milk contaminated with E. coli O157:H7 could represent a public health concern.

Probabilistic modelling of Escherichia coli concentration in raw milk under hot weather conditions

Climate change is one of the threats to the dairy supply chain as it may affect the microbiological quality of raw milk. In this context, a probabilistic model was developed to quantify the concentration of Escherichia coli in raw milk and explore what may happen to France under climate change conditions. It included four modules: initial contamination, packaging, retailing, and consumer refrigeration. The model was built in R using the 2nd order Monte Carlo mc2d package to propagate the uncertainty and analysed its impact independently of the variability. The initial microbial counts were obtained from a dairy farm located in Saudi Arabia to reflect the impact of hot weather conditions. This country was taken as representative of what might happen in Europe and therefore in France in the future due to climate change. A large dataset containing 622 data points was analysed. They were fitted by a Normal probability distribution using the fitdistrplus package. The microbial growth was determined across various scenarios of time and temperature storage reflecting the raw milk supply-chain in France. Existing growth rate data from literature and ComBase were analysed by the Ratkowsky secondary model. Results were interpreted using the nlstools package. The mean E. coli initial concentration in raw milk was estimated to be 1.31 [1.27; 1.35] log CFU/ mL and was found to increase at the end of the supply chain as a function of various time and temperature conditions. The estimations varied from 1.73 [1.42; 2.28] log CFU/mL after 12 h, 2.11 [1.46; 3.22] log CFU/mL after 36 h, and 2.41 [1.69;3.86] log CFU/mL after 60 h of consumer storage. The number of milk packages exceeding the 2-log French hygiene criterion for E. coli increased from 10% [8;12%] to 53% [27;77%] during consumer storage. In addition, the most significant factors contributing to the uncertainty of the model outputs were identified by running a sensitivity analysis. The results showed that the uncertainty around the Ratkowsky model parameters contributed the most to the uncertainty of E. coli concentration estimates. Overall, the model and its outputs provide an insight on the possible microbial raw milk quality in the future in France due to higher temperatures conditions driven by climate change.

Behaviour of Non-O157 STEC and Atypical EPEC during the Manufacturing and Ripening of Raw Milk Cheese

This study was carried out to assess the survival of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) and atypical enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (aEPEC) during the traditional manufacturing and ripening of Spanish hard cheese from raw cow’s milk. Milk samples were spiked with up to 3.1–3.5 log cfu/mL of one strain of STEC (O140:H32 serotype) and one of aEPEC (serotype O25:H2). The first steps of cheesemaking allow for a STEC and aEPEC increase of more than 1 log cfu/mL (up to 4.74 log cfu/g and 4.55 log cfu/g, respectively). After cheese pressing, a steady reduction of both populations was observed, with the STEC strain being more sensitive. The studied pathogenic E. coli populations decreased by 1.32 log cfu/g in STEC and 0.59 log cfu/g in aEPEC in cheese ripened during a minimum period of 60 d. Therefore, a moderate contamination by these diarrhoeagenic E. coli pathotypes, in particular, with aEPEC, on cheese manufactured from raw milk may not be totally controlled through the cheesemaking process and during a maturation of 90 d. These findings remark the importance of improvement in bacteriological quality of raw milk and cross-contamination prevention with diarrhoeagenic E. coli in the dairy industry.

Environmental Drivers for Persistence of Escherichia coli and Salmonella in Manure-Amended Soils: A Meta-Analysis

ABSTRACT

Application of organic amendments to agricultural land improves soil quality and provides nutrients essential for plant growth; however, they are also a reservoir for zoonotic pathogens whose presence poses a significant risk to public health. The persistence of bacteria in manure-amended soil, and differences in manure handling practices, are important issues from a food safety perspective. The primary objective of this study was to quantitatively summarize the variations in the rate of decline of Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. in manure-amended soil under laboratory and field conditions, and to assess the impact of environmental factors. Available literature data on persistence of E. coli and Salmonella spp. in manure-amended soil from 42 primary research studies were extracted and statistically analyzed using a mixed-effect regression model. The results indicated that temperature (soil and air combined) was the most prominent factor affecting persistence of both E. coli and Salmonella spp. under laboratory conditions (P < 0.001), and of E. coli under field conditions (P < 0.05). The time required for a log reduction of E. coli under field conditions was significantly higher at low temperature (0 to 10°C) than at high temperature (greater than 20°C) (P < 0.05). In addition, application method was identified as a significant factor, with manure incorporation to soil inducing longer survival compared with surface application by approximately 1.2 times. The significant variation observed among primary research studies of bacterial persistence has highlighted that mitigation strategies associated with the use of manures in fresh produce production need to be improved by addressing factors such as climate, soil management, application method, and initial microbial levels. These findings may be used to support guidelines establishing exclusion periods between manure fertilization and the grazing or harvesting of crops, and may be useful for the generation of quantitative microbial risk models for fresh produce.

HIGHLIGHTS

Everybody loves cheese: crosslink between persistence and virulence of Shiga-toxin Escherichia coli

General cheese manufacturing involves high temperatures, fermentation and ripening steps that function as hurdles to microbial growth. On the other hand, the application of several different formulations and manufacturing techniques may create a bacterial protective environment. In cheese, the persistent behavior of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) relies on complex mechanisms that enable bacteria to respond to stressful conditions found in cheese matrix. In this review, we discuss how STEC manages to survive to high and low temperatures, hyperosmotic conditions, exposure to weak organic acids, and pH decreasing related to cheese manufacturing, the cheese matrix itself and storage. Moreover, we discuss how these stress responses interact with each other by enhancing adaptation and consequently, the persistence of STEC in cheese. Further, we show how virulence genes eae and tir are affected by stress response mechanisms, increasing either cell adherence or virulence factors production, which leads to a selection of more resistant and virulent pathogens in the cheese industry, leading to a public health issue.

Distribution of the stx1 and stx2 genes in Escherichia coli isolated from milk cattle according to season, age, and production scale in southwestern region of Goiás, Brazil

ABSTRACT This study determined the distribution of stx1 and stx2 genes in Escherichia coli isolated from dairy herds with regard to animal age, season, and farm production-scale, and analyzed the phylogenetic distribution of the groups A, B1, B2, and D of 276 isolates of bovine feces Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC). The stx1 profile was the most common, detected in 20.4% (202/990) of the isolates, followed by stx2 (4.54%, 45/990) and stx1+stx2 (2.92%, 29/990). The stx1 gene was detected more frequently in calves than in adult animals. In the dry season (winter), the presence of stx1+stx2 profile in cattle feces was higher than in the rainy season (summer), while no significant changes were observed between seasons for the stx1 and stx2 profiles. The most predominant phylogenetic groups in adult animals were B1, A, and D, while groups A and B1 prevailed in calves. Our data highlight the importance of identifying STEC reservoirs, since 7.5% of the tested isolates were positive for stx2, the main profile responsible for the hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS). Moreover, these microorganisms are adapted to survive even in hostile environments and can contaminate the food production chain, posing a significant risk to consumers of animal products.

Stable isotope labelling by amino acids in cell culture (SILAC) applied to quantitative proteomics of Edwardsiella tarda ATCC 15947 under prolonged cold stress

Edwardsiella tarda poses a threat to human health and has resulted in enormous economic losses in aquaculture. Low temperatures are usually applied to contain the growth of this microorganism. In this study, stable isotope labelling by amino acids in cell culture (SILAC) was used to conduct comparative proteomic quantitation of E. tarda ATCC 15947 under cold stress for two weeks. We identified 1391 proteins, of which 898 were quantifiable. Of these, 72 proteins were upregulated and 164 were downregulated in response to cold stress. Even though E. tarda ATCC 15947 is not a psychrophile, several key proteins related to DNA synthesis and transcription were significantly upregulated. Additionally, proteins related to haemolytic activities and gluconeogenesis were upregulated, even though E. tarda ATCC 15497 is considered non-virulent in aquaculture. This study therefore delineated the specific proteomic response of this E. tarda ATCC 15947 to prolonged cold stress.

Comparative Proteomic and Morphological Change Analyses of Staphylococcus aureus During Resuscitation From Prolonged Freezing

When frozen, Staphylococcus aureus survives in a sublethally injured state. However, S. aureus can recover at a suitable temperature, which poses a threat to food safety. To elucidate the resuscitation mechanism of freezing survived S. aureus, we used cells stored at -18°C for 90 days as controls. After resuscitating the survived cells at 37°C, the viable cell numbers were determined on tryptic soy agar with 0.6% yeast extract (TSAYE), and the non-injured-cell numbers were determined on TSAYE supplemented with 10% NaCl. The results showed that the total viable cell number did not increase within the first 3 h of resuscitation, but the osmotic regulation ability of freezing survived cells gradually recovered to the level of healthy cells, which was evidenced by the lack of difference between the two samples seen by differential cell enumeration. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that, compared to late exponential stage cells, some frozen survived cells underwent splitting and cell lysis due to deep distortion and membrane rupture. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed that, in most of the frozen survived cells, the nucleoids (low electronic density area) were loose, and the cytoplasmic matrices (high electronic density area) were sparse. Additionally, a gap was seen to form between the cytoplasmic membranes and the cell walls in the frozen survived cells. The morphological changes were restored when the survived cells were resuscitated at 37°C. We also analyzed the differential proteome after resuscitation using non-labeled high-performance liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS). The results showed that, compared with freezing survived S. aureus cells, the cells resuscitated for 1 h had 45 upregulated and 73 downregulated proteins. The differentially expressed proteins were functionally categorized by gene ontology enrichment, KEGG pathway, and STRING analyses. Cell membrane synthesis-related proteins, oxidative stress resistance-related proteins, metabolism-related proteins, and virulence factors exhibited distinct expression patterns during resuscitation. These findings have implications in the understanding of the resuscitation mechanism of freezing survived S. aureus, which may facilitate the development of novel technologies for improved detection and control of foodborne pathogens in frozen food.

Escherichia coli O157:H7 Cells Exposed to Lettuce Leaf Lysate in Refrigerated Conditions Exhibit Differential Expression of Selected Virulence and Adhesion-Related Genes with Altered Mammalian Cell Adherence

Contamination by and persistence of pathogenic bacteria in ready-to-eat produce have emerged as significant food safety and public health concerns. Viable produceborne pathogens cope with several stresses (e.g., temperature fluctuations and lowtemperature storage) during production and storage of the commodities. In this study, we investigated the impact of transient cold shock on Escherichia coli O157:H7 (EcO157) cells in a produce matrix (romaine lettuce leaf lysate). EcO157 cells were exposed to 25°C for 1 h, 4°C for 1 h, and 4°C for 10 min in lettuce lysate. The expression of selected genes coding for virulence, stress response, and heat and cold shock proteins was quantified by real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR assay. Treated EcO157 cells adhered to MAC-T mammalian cells were enumerated by in vitro bioassay. Expression of the Shiga toxin 1 gene (stx1a) was upregulated significantly (P < 0.05) upon cold shock treatments, but virulence genes related to EcO157 attachment (eaeA, lpfA, and hcpA) were down-regulated. Two key members of the cold shock regulon, cold shock protein (cspA) and gyrA, were significantly induced (P < 0.05) at the refrigeration temperature (4°C). Significant upregulation of an SOS response gene, recA, was also observed. E. coli heat shock regulon member grpE was induced, but a universal stress protein (uspA) was downregulated at the refrigeration temperatures in lettuce lysate. The adhesion assay revealed a temperature-dependent reduction in the attachment of cold-shocked EcO157 cells. The results of the current study indicate a reduction in the attachment of cold-shocked EcO157 to epithelial cells and higher levels of Shiga toxin gene expression at the molecular level.

Emergence of Hyper-Resistant Escherichia coli MG1655 Derivative Strains after Applying Sub-Inhibitory Doses of Individual Constituents of Essential Oils

The improvement of food preservation by using essential oils (EOs) and their individual constituents (ICs) is attracting enormous interest worldwide. Until now, researchers considered that treatments with such antimicrobial compounds did not induce bacterial resistance via a phenotypic (i.e., transient) response. Nevertheless, the emergence of genotypic (i.e., stable) resistance after treatment with these compounds had not been previously tested. Our results confirm that growth of Escherichia coli MG1655 in presence of sub-inhibitory concentrations of the ICs carvacrol, citral, and (+)-limonene oxide do not increase resistance to further treatments with either the same IC (direct resistance) or with other preservation treatments (cross-resistance) such as heat or pulsed electric fields (PEF). Bacterial mutation frequency was likewise lower when those IC's were applied; however, after 10 days of re-culturing cells in presence of sub-inhibitory concentrations of the ICs, we were able to isolate several derivative strains (i.e., mutants) displaying an increased minimum inhibitory concentration to those ICs. Furthermore, when compared to the wild type (WT) strain, they also displayed direct resistance and cross-resistance. Derivative strains selected with carvacrol and citral also displayed morphological changes involving filamentation along with cell counts at late-stationary growth phase that were lower than the WT strain. In addition, co-cultures of each derivative strain with the WT strain resulted in a predominance of the original strain in absence of ICs, indicating that mutants would not out-compete WT cells under optimal growth conditions. Nevertheless, growth in the presence of ICs facilitated the selection of these resistant mutants. Thus, as a result, subsequent food preservation treatments of these bacterial cultures might be less effective than expected for WT cultures. In conclusion, this study recommends that treatment with ICs at sub-inhibitory concentrations should be generally avoided, since it could favor the emergence of hyper-resistant strains. To ascertain the true value of EOs and their ICs in the field of food preservation, further research thus needs to be conducted on the induction of increased transient and stable bacterial resistance via such antimicrobial compounds, as revealed in this study.

Metabolomic and proteomic responses of Staphylococcus aureus to prolonged cold stress

The high pathogenicity of Staphylococcus aureus is thought to be due to its extraordinary capacity to rapidly adapt to changes in environmental conditions. This study was carried out to investigate whether the cytoplasmic profiles of metabolites and proteins of S. aureus were altered in response to prolonged exposure to cold stress. Metabolic profiling and proteomics were used to characterise alterations in cytoplasmic proteins and metabolites in cells from the mid-exponential phase of growth under ideal conditions at 37°C and compared with equivalent cells exposed to prolonged cold stress for 2 weeks at 4°C. Principle component analysis (PCA) of the metabolomic and proteomic data indicated that, at the mid-exponential phase of growth, prolonged cold stress conditions generated cells with different metabolite and protein profiles compared with those grown at 37°C. Nine ribosomal proteins and citric acid were substantially elevated in the cytoplasmic fractions from the cells adapted to cold-stress but most amino acids showed a reduction in their concentration in cold-stressed samples. The data provided strong evidence supporting the hypothesis that specific changes in metabolic homeostasis and protein composition were critical to the adaptive processes required for survival under cold stress.

BIOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE

Work in our laboratory has shown that prolonged exposure of S. aureus to cold stress can result in the formation of small colony variants (SCVs) associated with significant alterations in the cell wall composition. Further studies revealed that S. aureus altered cell size and cell wall thickness in response to exposure to cold temperatures, alterations in pH and exposure to antibiotics. The current study has utilised the prolonged exposure to cold stress as a model system to explore changes in the proteome and associated metabolic homeostasis following environmental challenges. The study provides an improved understanding of how S. aureus adapts to the changing environment whilst in transition between human hosts. The results indicated an unexpected production of 9 ribosomal proteins and citric acid in response to cold stress suggesting specific survival roles for these proteins and citric acid as an adaptation mechanism for empowering survival under these conditions.

Growth of strains of the major non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli serogroups is not different from growth of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in neutral broth (pH 7.4) and acidified broth (pH 5.6) at 10°C

Understanding the survival and growth of non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) strains under cold temperatures may be important for protecting public health. The aim of this study was to compare the growth of three strains of each of the major non-O157 STEC serogroups (O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, and O145) with the growth of six O157:H7 STEC strains in broth at 10°C. Brain heart infusion broth (BHIB; pH 7.4) was inoculated with a single strain of stationary-phase STEC culture to produce a starting inoculum of ∼10(6) CFU/ml and stored at 10°C for up to 96 h (three trials per strain). Populations over time were fitted to the Baranyi and Roberts model, and lag-phase duration (LPD) and growth rate were calculated for each strain per trial. Average LPD ranged from 9.2 to 32.8 h for non-O157 STEC and from 10.5 to 17.2 h for O157 STEC. One strain of O26 STEC had a significantly longer LPD (P < 0.05) than did the other strains (32.8 h); otherwise, no significant differences were noted (P > 0.05). Growth rate ranged from 0.031 to 0.060 log CFU/ml/h for non-O157 STEC strains and from 0.034 to 0.046 log CFU/ml/h for O157 STEC strains. No significant difference in growth rate was noted among strains in BHIB at pH 7.4 and 10°C. In subsequent trials, growth of a single strain of each of the non-O157 STEC serogroups was compared with growth of four acid-tolerant O157 STEC strains in BHIB acidified to pH 5.6 with lactic acid. Acidification generally increased LPD and decreased the growth rate for strains, although the effect was variable and not significant. These findings suggest that growth patterns for strains of non-O157 STEC are similar to those for strains of O157 STEC in neutral and pH 5.6 BHIB at 10°C. Further research is needed to determine whether strains behave similarly in meat systems.

The effect of the rpoSam allele on gene expression and stress resistance in Escherichia coli

The RNA polymerase associated with RpoS transcribes many genes related to stationary phase and stress survival in Escherichia coli. The DNA sequence of rpoS exhibits a high degree of polymorphism. A C to T transition at position 99 of the rpoS ORF, which results in a premature amber stop codon often found in E. coli strains. The rpoSam mutant expresses a truncated and partially functional RpoS protein. Here, we present new evidence regarding rpoS polymorphism in common laboratory E. coli strains. One out of the six tested strains carries the rpoSam allele, but expressed a full-length RpoS protein owing to the presence of an amber supressor mutation. The rpoSam allele was transferred to a non-suppressor background and tested for RpoS level, stress resistance and for the expression of RpoS and sigma70-dependent genes. Overall, the rpoSam strain displayed an intermediate phenotype regarding stress resistance and the expression of σ(S)-dependent genes when compared to the wild-type rpoS(+) strain and to the rpoS null mutant. Surprisingly, overexpression of rpoSam had a differential effect on the expression of the σ(70)-dependent genes phoA and lacZ that, respectively, encode the enzymes alkaline phosphatase and β-galactosidase. The former was enhanced while the latter was inhibited by high levels of RpoSam.

Escherichia coli O157: Insights into the adaptive stress physiology and the influence of stressors on epidemiology and ecology of this human pathogen

Escherichia coli O157, a foodborne pathogen of major concern for public health, has been associated with numerous outbreaks of haemorrhagic colitis and hemolytic uremic syndrome worldwide. Human infection with E. coli O157 has been primarily associated with the food-chain transmission route. This transmission route commonly elicits a multi-faceted adaptive stress response of E. coli O157 for an extended period of time prior to human infection. Several recent research articles have indicated that E. coli O157:H7 has evolved unique survival characteristics which can affect the epidemiology and ecology of this zoonotic pathogen. This review article summarizes the recent knowledge of the molecular responses of E. coli O157 to the most common stressors found within the human food chain, and further emphasizes the influence of these stressors on the epidemiology and ecology of E. coli O157.

Examination of the genome-wide transcriptional response of Escherichia coli O157:H7 to cinnamaldehyde exposure

Cinnamaldehyde is a natural antimicrobial that has been found to be effective against many food-borne pathogens, including Escherichia coli O157:H7. Although its antimicrobial effects have been well investigated, limited information is available on its effects at the molecular level. Sublethal treatment at 200 mg/liter cinnamaldehyde inhibited growth of E. coli O157:H7 at 37°C and for ≤2 h caused cell elongation, but from 2 to 4 h growth resumed and cells reverted to normal length. To understand this transient behavior, genome-wide transcriptional analysis of E. coli O157:H7 was performed at 2 and 4 h of exposure to cinnamaldehyde in conjunction with reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) analysis for cinnamaldehyde and other cinnamic compounds. Drastically different gene expression profiles were obtained at 2 and 4 h. RP-HPLC analysis showed that cinnamaldehyde was structurally stable for at least 2 h. At 2 h of exposure, cinnamaldehyde induced expression of many oxidative stress-related genes and repressed expression of DNA, protein, O-antigen, and fimbrial synthetic genes. At 4 h, many cinnamaldehyde-induced repressive effects on E. coli O157:H7 gene expression were reversed, and cells became more motile and grew at a slightly higher rate. Data indicated that by 4 h, E. coli O157:H7 was able to convert cinnamaldehyde into the less toxic cinnamic alcohol using dehydrogenase/reductase enzymes (YqhD and DkgA). This is the first study to characterize the ability of E. coli O157:H7 to convert cinnamaldehyde into cinnamic alcohol which, in turn, showed that the antimicrobial activity of cinnamaldehyde is mainly attributable to its carbonyl aldehyde group.

Heat acclimation and the role of RpoS in prolonged heat shock of Escherichia coli O157

Escherichia coli, a commensal mesophile that primarily inhabits the gastro-intestinal tract, responds to temperature up-shifts with transient expression of stress-response proteins. The goal of this study was to identify adaptive proteins of E. coli O157 crucial for growth resumption of this human pathogen after heat shock, with specific focus on the role of the RpoS sigma factor. Using the comparative proteomic analysis of hyper-thermally acclimatized wild-type strain B-1 and rpoS-mutant strain SV521, we identified 39 proteins that underwent significantly-different induction upon temperature shock at 45°C or rpoS mutation. All identified proteins of the heat post-acclimation stimulon fell into two large sub-groups: (i) stress proteins, including molecular chaperons, proteases, DNA/RNA stabilizing enzymes, and anti-oxidant proteins, and (ii) housekeeping proteins. It was found that in the heat stress stimulon RpoS has significantly (P=0.012) limited control over the key stress proteins involved in translation, translational elongation, protein folding and refolding. However, RpoS showed a significant (P=0.035) control over the cellular metabolic processes that included NADPH regeneration, pentose-phosphate shunt, nicotinamide nucleotide and NADP metabolic processes, reflecting its specific importance in promoting resource utilization (energy, protein synthesis etc.) during proliferation of hyperthermally-adapted cells. Pathogenic strains, like E. coli O157, have the ability to survive a variety of harsh stress conditions, leading to their entry into the food chain, and subsequent pathogenesis. This research offers insights into the physiological response of this pathogen during the critical period following adaptation to thermal stress and subsequent resumption of growth.