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Lou X, Wu Y, Huang Z, Zhang W, Xiao X, Wu J, Li J, Fang Z. Biofilm formation and associated gene expression changes in Cronobacter from cereal related samples in China. Food Microbiol 2024; 118:104409. [PMID: 38049271 DOI: 10.1016/j.fm.2023.104409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Revised: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023]
Abstract
Cronobacter is an important foodborne pathogen that can cause severe neonatal meningitis, necrotizing enterocolitis, and bacteremia. Currently, there is limited knowledge of biofilm formation in Cronobacter. In the present study, biofilm formation ability and associated gene expression changes in Cronobacter from cereal related samples was carried out systematically. Our results from 307 Cronobacter isolates analyzed for 48 h showed strong biofilm-forming ability in 14 strains (4.6%), moderate in 47 strains (15.3%), weak in 142 strains (46.2%), and no such ability in the remaining 104 strains (33.9%). Further studies on five strains with strong biofilm-forming ability showed that maximum biofilm formation in Cronobacter occurred after 24 h of cultivation, reaching a peak around 48 h-72 h, reducing gradually thereafter. Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) analysis revealed that differentially expressed genes (DEGs) involved in flagellar assembly, oxidative phosphorylation, ribosome, photosynthesis, O-Antigen nucleotide sugar biosynthesis, citrate cycle (tricarboxylic acid cycle, TCA) and bacterial chemotaxis were enriched in biofilm forming cells. The genes involved these enrichment pathways were mostly downregulated when compared to planktonic cells. Several transcriptional regulator genes such as csrA and bolA, and the cell surface composition regulator gene glgS were significantly upregulated. 12 of 13 (92.3%) selected genes was found to be in agreement with the RNA-Seq of planktonic and biofilm cells by Quantitative real-time PCR analysis, thus increasing confidence in our data. Our research lays a sound theoretical basis for further studies on mechanisms regulating biofilm formation and provides a foundation for development of new food safety measures, clinical disease prevention and control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiuqin Lou
- Hangzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou, 310021, China
| | - Yue Wu
- Hangzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou, 310021, China
| | - Zhenzhou Huang
- Hangzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou, 310021, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Hangzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou, 310021, China
| | - Xiao Xiao
- Hangzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou, 310021, China
| | - Jun Wu
- Lin'an Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou, 311399, China
| | - Jun Li
- Hangzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou, 310021, China.
| | - Zhiguo Fang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou, 310018, China.
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Wang Z, Liao S, Huang G, Feng M, Yin R, Teng L, Jia C, Yao Y, Yue M, Li Y. Infant food production environments: A potential reservoir for vancomycin-resistant enterococci non-nosocomial infections. Int J Food Microbiol 2023; 389:110105. [PMID: 36731202 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2023.110105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2022] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Enterococcus has been considered one of the most important nosocomial pathogens for human infections, and the hospital environment is an important reservoir for vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) that leads to antimicrobial therapeutic failure. However, infant foods and their production environments could pose risks for the immature population, while this question remains unaddressed. This study conducted an extensive and thorough Enterococcus isolation, VRE risk assessment of the Chinese infant food production chains and additional online-marketing infant foods, including powdered infant formula (PIF) and infant complementary food (ICF). To investigate the prevalence of Enterococcus along infant food chains and commodities, a total of 482 strains of Enterococcus, including E. faecium (n = 363), E. faecalis (n = 84), E. casseliflavus (n = 13), E. mundtii (n = 12), E. gallinarum (n = 4), E. hirae (n = 4), and E. durans (n = 2) were recovered from 459 samples collected from infant food production chains (71/254) and food commodities (67/205). A decreasing trend for Enterococcus detection rate was found in the PIF production chain (PIF-PC), particularly during the preparation of the PIF base powder (From 100 % in raw milk to 8.70 % in end products), while an increasing trend was observed in the ICF production chain (ICF-PC) mainly during the initial processing of farm crops and the further processing of the product (20 % at farm crops increasing to 76.92 % at end products). The result indicated that the PIF-PC process effectively reduced Enterococcus contamination, while the ICF-PC showed the opposite trend. Importantly, eleven VRE isolates were recovered from the infant food production chain, including seven E. casseliflavus isolates carrying vanC2/C3 and four E. gallinarum isolates carrying vanC1. Ten VRE isolates were from food production environments. Collectively, our study demonstrated that infant food production environments represent potential reservoirs for VRE non-nosocomial infections in vulnerable populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zining Wang
- Hainan Institute, Zhejiang University, Sanya 572025, China; Department of Veterinary Medicine & Institute of Preventive Veterinary Sciences, Zhejiang University College of Animal Sciences, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Sihao Liao
- Department of Veterinary Medicine & Institute of Preventive Veterinary Sciences, Zhejiang University College of Animal Sciences, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Guanwen Huang
- Department of Veterinary Medicine & Institute of Preventive Veterinary Sciences, Zhejiang University College of Animal Sciences, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Mengyao Feng
- Department of Veterinary Medicine & Institute of Preventive Veterinary Sciences, Zhejiang University College of Animal Sciences, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Rui Yin
- Department of Veterinary Medicine & Institute of Preventive Veterinary Sciences, Zhejiang University College of Animal Sciences, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Lin Teng
- Department of Veterinary Medicine & Institute of Preventive Veterinary Sciences, Zhejiang University College of Animal Sciences, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Chenghao Jia
- Department of Veterinary Medicine & Institute of Preventive Veterinary Sciences, Zhejiang University College of Animal Sciences, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Yicheng Yao
- Department of Veterinary Medicine & Institute of Preventive Veterinary Sciences, Zhejiang University College of Animal Sciences, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Min Yue
- Hainan Institute, Zhejiang University, Sanya 572025, China; Department of Veterinary Medicine & Institute of Preventive Veterinary Sciences, Zhejiang University College of Animal Sciences, Hangzhou 310058, China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310003, China.
| | - Yan Li
- Hainan Institute, Zhejiang University, Sanya 572025, China; Department of Veterinary Medicine & Institute of Preventive Veterinary Sciences, Zhejiang University College of Animal Sciences, Hangzhou 310058, China.
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3
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Li P, Zong W, Zhang Z, Lv W, Ji X, Zhu D, Du X, Wang S. Effects and molecular mechanism of flagellar gene flgK on the motility, adhesion/invasion, and desiccation resistance of Cronobacter sakazakii. Food Res Int 2023; 164:112418. [PMID: 36738023 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2022.112418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2022] [Revised: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Cronobacter sakazakii (C. sakazakii), a food-borne pathogen, can infect neonates, elderly and immunocompromised populations with a high infection and mortality rate. However, the specific molecular mechanism of its motility, biofilm formation, cell adhesion, and desiccation resistance remains unclear, and flagellum hook associated protein (FlgK), a main component of the flagellar complex, may be an important determinant of its virulence and desiccation resistance. In this study, the flgK mutant strain (ΔflgK) was constructed using the homologous recombination method, and the cpflgK complementary strain was obtained by gene complementation, followed by analysis of the difference between the wild type (WT), mutant, and complementary strains in mobility, biofilm formation, cell adhesion, and desiccation resistance. Results indicated that flgK gene played a positive role in motility and invasion, with no significant effect on biofilm formation. Interestingly, flagellar assembly gene deletion showed increased resistance of C. sakazakii to dehydration. The mechanism underlying the negative correlation of flgK gene with dehydration resistance was further investigated by using the high-throughput sequencing technology to compare the gene expression between WT and ΔflgK strains after drying. The results revealed up-regulation in the expression of 54 genes, including genes involved in osmosis and formate dehydrogenase, while down-regulation in the expression of 50 genes, including genes involved in flagellum hook and nitrate reductase. qRT-PCR analysis of the RNA-seq data further indicated that the flgK gene played an important role in the environmental stress resistance of C. sakazakii by up-regulating the formate dehydrogenase, betaine synthesis, and arginine deiminase pathways, due to dynamic proton imbalance caused by lack of flagella. This study facilitates our understanding of the roles of flgK in motion-related functions and the molecular mechanism of desiccation resistance in C. sakazakii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Li
- State Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, College of Food Science and Engineering, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, China
| | - Wenyue Zong
- State Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, College of Food Science and Engineering, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, China
| | - Zhengyang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, College of Food Science and Engineering, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, China
| | - Wen Lv
- State Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, College of Food Science and Engineering, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, China
| | - Xuemeng Ji
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Food Science and Health, College of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Dongdong Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, College of Food Science and Engineering, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, China
| | - Xinjun Du
- State Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, College of Food Science and Engineering, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, China.
| | - Shuo Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, College of Food Science and Engineering, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, China; Tianjin Key Laboratory of Food Science and Health, College of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China.
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Chang Y, Xia S, Fei P, Feng H, Fan F, Liu Y, Qin L, Ma L, Song Q, Liu Y. Houttuynia cordata Thunb. crude extract inactivates Cronobacter sakazakii: Antibacterial components, antibacterial mechanism, and application as a natural disinfectant. Food Control 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.foodcont.2022.109467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
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Fei P, Jing H, Ma Y, Dong G, Chang Y, Meng Z, Jiang S, Xie Q, Li S, Chen X, Yang W. Cronobacter spp. in Commercial Powdered Infant Formula Collected From Nine Provinces in China: Prevalence, Genotype, Biofilm Formation, and Antibiotic Susceptibility. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:900690. [PMID: 35711752 PMCID: PMC9197194 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.900690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of Cronobacter spp. in commercial powdered infant formula (PIF) from nine provinces in China from March 2018 to September 2020, and to reveal the genotype, biofilm-forming ability, and antibiotic susceptibility of these isolates. A total of 27 Cronobacter strains, consisting of 22 Cronobacter sakazakii strains, 3 Cronobacter malonaticus strains, 1 Cronobacter turicensis strain, and 1 Cronobacter dublinensis strain, were isolated from 3,600 commercial PIF samples with a prevalence rate of 0.75%. Compared with the other 8 provinces, PIF from Shaanxi province had a higher prevalence rate (1.25%) of Cronobacter spp. These isolates were divided into 14 sequence types (STs), and 6 Cronobacter serotypes. The main Cronobacter STs were ST4, ST1, and ST64, and the dominant Cronobacter serotype was C. sakazakii serotype O2. Approximately 88.89% of Cronobacter isolates had a strong ability (OD595 > 1) to form biofilms on tinplate, among which the strains with ST4 were more dominant. All isolates were susceptible to ampicillin-sulbactam, ceftriaxone, cefotaxime, sulfadiazine, sulfadoxine, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, gentamicin, tetracycline, ciprofloxacin, and colistin, while 55.56 and 96.30% isolates were resistant to cephalothin and vancomycin, respectively. Taken together, our findings highlighted the contamination status and characterization of Cronobacter spp. in commercial PIF from nine provinces of China, and provided guidance for the effective prevention and control of this pathogen in the production of PIF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Fei
- School of Zhang Zhongjing Health Care and Food, Nanyang Institute of Technology, Nanyang, China
| | - He Jing
- School of Zhang Zhongjing Health Care and Food, Nanyang Institute of Technology, Nanyang, China
| | - Yan Ma
- School of Zhang Zhongjing Health Care and Food, Nanyang Institute of Technology, Nanyang, China
| | - Gege Dong
- School of Zhang Zhongjing Health Care and Food, Nanyang Institute of Technology, Nanyang, China
| | - Yunhe Chang
- Food and Pharmaceutical Engineering Institute, Guiyang University, Guiyang, China
| | - Zhaoxu Meng
- Inner Mongolia Meng Niu Dairy Industry (Group) Co. Ltd. R&D Center, Hohhot, China
| | | | - Qinggang Xie
- Heilongjiang Feihe Dairy Co., Ltd., Beijing, China
| | - Shuzhen Li
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Shenyang Medical College, Shenyang, China
| | - Xi Chen
- Institute of Integrated Agricultural Development Research, Guizhou Academy of Agriculrural Sciences, Guiyang, China
| | - Weiwei Yang
- The Department of Food Science, Shenyang Medical College, Shenyang Medical College, Shenyang, China
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Fei P, Xing M, Feng Y, Liu S, Chang Y, Wang Y, Yu Y, Shi E, Zhang Y, Bian X, Chen J. Occurrence, Molecular Characterization, and Antibiotic Resistance of Cronobacter sakazakii in Goat Milk-Based Infant Formula from Shaanxi Province, China. Foodborne Pathog Dis 2022; 19:304-310. [PMID: 35447050 DOI: 10.1089/fpd.2021.0095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of Cronobacter sakazakii in goat milk-based infant formula (GIF) collected from Shaanxi Province, China, and reveal the molecular characterization and antibiotic resistance profile of these isolates. A total of 750 GIF samples were collected from the retail markets in 5 cities in Shaanxi Province from February 2019 to February 2021. Molecular characterization was investigated using multilocus sequence typing and O-antigen serotyping. Antibiotic resistance of C. sakazakii isolates was assessed using antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Thirty-two strains of C. sakazakii were isolated from GIF samples with a prevalence rate of 4.27% and were divided into 16 sequence types (STs); among them, ST4 (6/32, 18.75%) and ST21 (5/32, 15.63%) were dominant. Five C. sakazakii serotypes (O2, O1, O7, O4, and O3) were detected, and C. sakazakii serotype O2 (15/32, 46.88%) was the main. Of the 21 antimicrobials, isolates showed higher resistance against cephalothin (87.5%), amoxicillin (25%), azithromycin (18.75%), oxytetracycline (18.75%), ampicillin (12.5%), and streptomycin (12.5%). In addition, three isolates were found to be resistant to three antimicrobials. These findings revealed the potential epidemiological risk and characterization of C. sakazakii in GIF from Shaanxi Province, China, and provided reference data for the effective prevention and control of C. sakazakii in powdered infant formula.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Fei
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Science, Ministry of Education, College of Food Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China.,School of Zhang Zhongjing Health Care and Food, Nanyang Institute of Technology, Nanyang, China.,College of Food and Bioengineering, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
| | - Min Xing
- College of Food and Bioengineering, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
| | - Yage Feng
- School of Zhang Zhongjing Health Care and Food, Nanyang Institute of Technology, Nanyang, China
| | - Shun Liu
- School of Zhang Zhongjing Health Care and Food, Nanyang Institute of Technology, Nanyang, China
| | - Yajing Chang
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Science, Ministry of Education, College of Food Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Yao Wang
- College of Food and Bioengineering, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
| | - Yaping Yu
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Science, Ministry of Education, College of Food Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Encong Shi
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Science, Ministry of Education, College of Food Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Yaqing Zhang
- College of Food and Bioengineering, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
| | - Xin Bian
- Key Laboratory of Food Science and Engineering of Heilongjiang Province, College of Food Engineering, Harbin University of Commerce, Harbin, China
| | - Junliang Chen
- College of Food and Bioengineering, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
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Chen CW, Yuan L, Zhang YS, Mgomi FC, Wang Y, Yang ZQ, Jiao XA. Comparision of biological and genomic characteristics of five virulent bacteriophages against Enterobacter hormaechei. Microb Pathog 2022; 162:105375. [PMID: 34974119 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2021.105375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Revised: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 12/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Enterobacter hormaechei is a zoonotic bacteria that may cause respiratory diseases in animals and neonatal sepsis in humans. Bacteriophages are increasingly considered as potential biocontrol agents to control pathogens in the food industry. In this study, five E. hormaechei virulent phages, named as Ehp-YZU08, Ehp-YZU10, Ehp-YZU9-1, Ehp-YZU9-2 and Ehp-YZU9-3, were isolated from sewage in China and analyzed for their biological and whole-genome characteristics, and a comparative genomic analysis was performed to study the functional genes and phylogenetic evolution of phages. The results showed that four of the phage strains belong to the Podoviridae family and one belongs to the Myoviridae family. The burst sizes were 70-283 PFU/cell after a latent period of 5-40 min. Phages were able to survive in a pH range of 5-10 and resist temperatures up to 60 °C for 60 min. The sequencing results showed that the full length of the genomes of the five phages ranged from 39,502 to 173,418 bp. Each phage contained multiple genes related to phage replication, and genes related to bacterial virulence or drug resistance were not found. The five phages belonged to three different groups by a construction of a phylogenetic tree, and the significant genetic evolutionary distance from each E. hormaechei phage was observed. The inhibition assay showed that all five phages could completely inhibit the growth of E. hormaechei at 37 °C within 8 h, suggesting that the phages in this study have great potential for the development of biocontrol agents against E. hormaechei in the food industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cao-Wei Chen
- School of Food Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225127, PR China
| | - Lei Yuan
- School of Food Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225127, PR China
| | - Yuan-Song Zhang
- School of Food Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225127, PR China
| | - Fedrick C Mgomi
- School of Food Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225127, PR China
| | - Yang Wang
- School of Food Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225127, PR China
| | - Zhen-Quan Yang
- School of Food Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225127, PR China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonoses, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225009, PR China.
| | - Xin-An Jiao
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonoses, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225009, PR China
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Wang L, Pang X, Zhao J, Jin H, Yang X, Fu S, Cheng S, Li H, Miao C, Man C, Jiang Y. Isolation and characteristics of new phage JK004 and application to control Cronobacter sakazakii on material surfaces and powdered infant formula. Lebensm Wiss Technol 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.lwt.2021.112571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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Gao J, Han Z, Li P, Zhang H, Du X, Wang S. Outer Membrane Protein F Is Involved in Biofilm Formation, Virulence and Antibiotic Resistance in Cronobacter sakazakii. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9112338. [PMID: 34835462 PMCID: PMC8619257 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9112338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Revised: 11/06/2021] [Accepted: 11/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
In some Gram-negative bacteria, ompF encodes outer membrane protein F (OmpF), which is a cation-selective porin and is responsible for the passive transport of small molecules across the outer membrane. However, there are few reports about the functions of this gene in Cronobacter sakazakii. To investigate the role of ompF in detail, an ompF disruption strain (ΔompF) and a complementation strain (cpompF) were successfully obtained. We find that OmpF can affect the ability of biofilm formation in C. sakazakii. In addition, the variations in biofilm composition of C. sakazakii were examined using Raman spectroscopy analyses caused by knocking out ompF, and the result indicated that the levels of certain biofilm components, including lipopolysaccharide (LPS), were significantly decreased in the mutant (ΔompF). Then, SDS-PAGE was used to further analyze the LPS content, and the result showed that the LPS levels were significantly reduced in the absence of ompF. Therefore, we conclude that OmpF affects biofilm formation in C. sakazakii by reducing the amount of LPS. Furthermore, the ΔompF mutant showed decreased (2.7-fold) adhesion to and invasion of HCT-8 cells. In an antibiotic susceptibility analysis, the ΔompF mutant showed significantly smaller inhibition zones than the WT, indicating that OmpF had a positive effect on the influx of antibiotics into the cells. In summary, ompF plays a positive regulatory role in the biofilm formation and adhesion/invasion, which is achieved by regulating the amount of LPS, but is a negative regulator of antibiotic resistance in C. sakazakii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianxin Gao
- Key Laboratory of Animal Resistance Biology of Shandong Province, Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, School of Life Science, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250014, China; (J.G.); (H.Z.)
| | - Zhonghui Han
- School of Food Science and Engineering, Qilu University of Technology, Shandong Academy of Sciences, Jinan 250353, China;
| | - Ping Li
- School of Food Science and Engineering, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, China;
| | - Hongyan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Resistance Biology of Shandong Province, Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, School of Life Science, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250014, China; (J.G.); (H.Z.)
| | - Xinjun Du
- School of Food Science and Engineering, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, China;
- Correspondence: (X.D.); (S.W.)
| | - Shuo Wang
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Food Science and Health, School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
- Correspondence: (X.D.); (S.W.)
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Wang L, Forsythe SJ, Yang X, Fu S, Man C, Jiang Y. Invited review: Stress resistance of Cronobacter spp. affecting control of its growth during food production. J Dairy Sci 2021; 104:11348-11367. [PMID: 34364644 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2021-20591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Members of the Cronobacter genus include food-borne pathogens that can cause infections in infants, with a mortality rate as high as 40 to 80%. The high fatality rate of Cronobacter and its isolation from numerous types of food, especially from powdered infant formula, demonstrate the serious nature of this organism. The source tracking of Cronobacter spp. and the analysis of high-frequency species from different sources are helpful for a more targeted control. Furthermore, the persistence during food processing and storage may be attributed to strong resistance of Cronobacter spp. to environment stresses such as heat, pH, and desiccation. There are many factors that support the survival of Cronobacter spp. in harsh environments, such as some genes, regulatory systems, and biofilms. Advanced detection technology is helpful for the strict monitoring of Cronobacter spp. In addition to the traditional heat treatment, many new control techniques have been developed, and the ability to control Cronobacter spp. has been demonstrated. The control of this bacteria is required not only during manufacture, but also through the selection of packaging methods to reduce postprocessing contamination. At the same time, the effect of inactivation methods on product quality and safety must be considered. This review considers the advances in our understanding of environmental stress response in Cronobacter spp. with special emphasis on its implications in food processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lihan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Science, Ministry of Education, College of Food Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China, 150030
| | - Stephen J Forsythe
- Foodmicrobe.com, Adams Hill, Keyworth, Nottingham, United Kingdom, NG12 5GY
| | - Xinyan Yang
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Science, Ministry of Education, College of Food Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China, 150030
| | - Shiqian Fu
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Science, Ministry of Education, College of Food Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China, 150030
| | - Chaoxin Man
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Science, Ministry of Education, College of Food Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China, 150030.
| | - Yujun Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Science, Ministry of Education, College of Food Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China, 150030.
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11
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Parra-Flores J, Holý O, Riffo F, Lepuschitz S, Maury-Sintjago E, Rodríguez-Fernández A, Cruz-Córdova A, Xicohtencatl-Cortes J, Mancilla-Rojano J, Troncoso M, Figueroa G, Ruppitsch W, Forsythe S. Profiling the Virulence and Antibiotic Resistance Genes of Cronobacter sakazakii Strains Isolated From Powdered and Dairy Formulas by Whole-Genome Sequencing. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:694922. [PMID: 34276629 PMCID: PMC8278472 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.694922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cronobacter sakazakii is an enteropathogen that causes neonatal meningitis, septicemia, and necrotizing enterocolitis in preterm infants and newborns with a mortality rate of 15 to 80%. Powdered and dairy formulas (P-DF) have been implicated as major transmission vehicles and subsequently the presence of this pathogen in P-DF led to product recalls in Chile in 2017. The objective of this study was to use whole genome sequencing (WGS) and laboratory studies to characterize Cronobacter strains from the contaminated products. Seven strains were identified as C. sakazakii, and the remaining strain was Franconibacter helveticus. All C. sakazakii strains adhered to a neuroblastoma cell line, and 31 virulence genes were predicted by WGS. The antibiograms varied between strains. and included mcr-9.1 and bla CSA genes, conferring resistance to colistin and cephalothin, respectively. The C. sakazakii strains encoded I-E and I-F CRISPR-Cas systems, and carried IncFII(pECLA), Col440I, and Col(pHHAD28) plasmids. In summary, WGS enabled the identification of C. sakazakii strains and revealed multiple antibiotic resistance and virulence genes. These findings support the decision to recall the contaminated powdered and dairy formulas from the Chilean market in 2017.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julio Parra-Flores
- Department of Nutrition and Public Health, Universidad del Bío-Bío, Chillán, Chile
| | - Ondrej Holý
- Department of Public Health, Palacký University Olomouc, Olomouc, Czechia
| | | | - Sarah Lepuschitz
- Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety, Institute for Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, Vienna, Austria
| | | | | | - Ariadnna Cruz-Córdova
- Intestinal Bacteriology Research Laboratory, Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Juan Xicohtencatl-Cortes
- Intestinal Bacteriology Research Laboratory, Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Jetsi Mancilla-Rojano
- Intestinal Bacteriology Research Laboratory, Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez, Mexico City, Mexico
- Faculty of Medicine, Biological Sciences Graduate Program, Posgrado en Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Miriam Troncoso
- Microbiology and Probiotics Laboratory, Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Guillermo Figueroa
- Microbiology and Probiotics Laboratory, Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Werner Ruppitsch
- Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety, Institute for Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, Vienna, Austria
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12
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Costa PV, Vasconcellos L, Forsythe SJ, Brandão MLL. Diversity of Cronobacter genus isolated between 1970 and 2019 on the American continent and genotyped using multi-locus sequence typing. FEMS Microbiol Lett 2021; 368:6156629. [PMID: 33677554 DOI: 10.1093/femsle/fnab027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2020] [Accepted: 02/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to evaluate the Cronobacter spp. strains isolated on the American continent and characterized using multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) available in the PubMLST database and current literature. From 465 Cronobacter spp. strains, the majority (n = 267, 57.4%) was from North America, mainly from USA (n = 234) and 198 (42.6%) were from South America, mainly from Brazil (n = 196). A total of 232 (49.9%) were isolated from foods, 102 (21.9%) from environmental, 87 (18.7%) from clinical, 27 (5.8%) from PIF, one from water (0.2%) and 16 (3.5%) from unknown sources. A total of five species were represented: Cronobacter sakazakii (374, 80.4%), Cronobacter malonaticus (41, 8.8%), Cronobacter dublinensis (29, 6.2%), Cronobacter turicensis (16, 3.5%) and Cronobacter muytjensii (5, 1.1%). The strains with complete MLST profile (n = 345) were assigned to 98 STs, a ratio of 3.5 strain by ST found and the calculated Simpson`s index was 0.93. The strains showed a high diversity and after eBURST analysis, 30 STs (n = 189) formed 12 single and/or double-locus variant clonal complexes (CC). A total of 38 STs (38.7%) were associated with clinical cases of infection, including well established C. sakazakii CC 1, 4, 8 and 83; C. malonaticus ST60, 307, 394 and 440; and C. sakazakii ST 12 and 494.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Luiza Vasconcellos
- Department of Quality Control, Bio-Manguinhos/Fiocruz, Avenida Brasil n.º 4365, Brazil
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