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A mobile genetic element profoundly increases heat resistance of bacterial spores.

ABSTRACT: Bacterial endospores are among the most resilient forms of life on earth and are intrinsically resistant to extreme environments and antimicrobial treatments. Their resilience is explained by unique cellular structures formed by a complex developmental process often initiated in response to nutrient deprivation. Although the macromolecular structures of spores from different bacterial species are similar, their resistance to environmental insults differs widely. It is not known which of the factors attributed to spore resistance confer very high-level heat resistance. Here, we provide conclusive evidence that in Bacillus subtilis, this is due to the presence of a mobile genetic element (Tn1546-like) carrying five predicted operons, one of which contains genes that encode homologs of SpoVAC, SpoVAD and SpoVAEb and four other genes encoding proteins with unknown functions. This operon, named spoVA2mob, confers high-level heat resistance to spores. Deletion of spoVA2mob in a B. subtilis strain carrying Tn1546 renders heat-sensitive spores while transfer of spoVA2mob into B. subtilis 168 yields highly heat-resistant spores. On the basis of the genetic conservation of different spoVA operons among spore-forming species of Bacillaceae, we propose an evolutionary scenario for the emergence of extremely heat-resistant spores in B. subtilis, B. licheniformis and B. amyloliquefaciens. This discovery opens up avenues for improved detection and control of spore-forming bacteria able to produce highly heat-resistant spores.

SUBMITTER: Berendsen EM

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5113849 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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A mobile genetic element profoundly increases heat resistance of bacterial spores.

Berendsen Erwin M EM Boekhorst Jos J Kuipers Oscar P OP Wells-Bennik Marjon H J MH

The ISME journal 20160422 11

Bacterial endospores are among the most resilient forms of life on earth and are intrinsically resistant to extreme environments and antimicrobial treatments. Their resilience is explained by unique cellular structures formed by a complex developmental process often initiated in response to nutrient deprivation. Although the macromolecular structures of spores from different bacterial species are similar, their resistance to environmental insults differs widely. It is not known which of the fact ...[more]

PMID: 27105070

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Project description:UnlabelledHeat treatment is an important controlling factor that, in combination with other hurdles (e.g., pH, aw), is used to reduce numbers and prevent the growth of and associated neurotoxin formation by nonproteolytic C. botulinum in chilled foods. It is generally agreed that a heating process that reduces the spore concentration by a factor of 10(6) is an acceptable barrier in relation to this hazard. The purposes of the present study were to review the available data relating to heat resistance properties of nonproteolytic C. botulinum spores and to obtain an appropriate representation of parameter values suitable for use in quantitative microbial risk assessment. In total, 753 D values and 436 z values were extracted from the literature and reveal significant differences in spore heat resistance properties, particularly those corresponding to recovery in the presence or absence of lysozyme. A total of 503 D and 338 z values collected for heating temperatures at or below 83°C were used to obtain a probability distribution representing variability in spore heat resistance for strains recovered in media that did not contain lysozyme.ImportanceIn total, 753 D values and 436 z values extracted from literature sources reveal significant differences in spore heat resistance properties. On the basis of collected data, two z values have been identified, z = 7°C and z = 9°C, for spores recovered without and with lysozyme, respectively. The findings support the use of heat treatment at 90°C for 10 min to reduce the spore concentration by a factor of 10(6), providing that lysozyme is not present during recovery. This study indicates that greater heat treatment is required for food products containing lysozyme, and this might require consideration of alternative recommendation/guidance. In addition, the data set has been used to test hypotheses regarding the dependence of spore heat resistance on the toxin type and strain, on the heating technique used, and on the method of D value determination used.

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A mobile genetic element profoundly increases heat resistance of bacterial spores.

Publications

A mobile genetic element profoundly increases heat resistance of bacterial spores.

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