Stress Response of Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Listeria monocytogenes Biofilms to Different Modified Atmospheres

Abstract

The sessile biofilms of Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Listeria monocytogenes have increasingly become a critical threat in seafood safety. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of modified atmospheres on the formation ability of V. parahaemolyticus and L. monocytogenes biofilms. The stress responses of bacterial biofilm formation to modified atmospheres including anaerobiosis (20% carbon dioxide, 80% nitrogen), micro-aerobiosis (20% oxygen, 80% nitrogen), and aerobiosis (60% oxygen, 40% nitrogen) were illuminated by determining the live cells, chemical composition analysis, textural parameter changes, expression of regulatory genes, etc. Results showed that the biofilm formation ability of V. parahaemolyticus was efficiently decreased, supported by the fact that the modified atmospheres significantly reduced the key chemical composition [extracellular DNA (eDNA) and extracellular proteins] of the extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) and negatively altered the textural parameters (biovolume, thickness, and bio-roughness) of biofilms during the physiological conversion from anaerobiosis to aerobiosis, while the modified atmosphere treatment increased the key chemical composition of EPS and the textural parameters of L. monocytogenes biofilms from anaerobiosis to aerobiosis. Meanwhile, the expression of biofilm formation genes (luxS, aphA, mshA, oxyR, and opaR), EPS production genes (cpsA, cpsC, and cpsR), and virulence genes (vopS, vopD1, vcrD1, vopP2β, and vcrD2β) of V. parahaemolyticus was downregulated. For the L. monocytogenes cells, the expression of biofilm formation genes (flgA, flgU, and degU), EPS production genes (Imo2554, Imo2504, inlA, rmlB), and virulence genes (vopS, vopD1, vcrD1, vopP2β, and vcrD2β) was upregulated during the physiological conversion. All these results indicated that the modified atmospheres possessed significantly different regulation on the biofilm formation of Gram-negative V. parahaemolyticus and Gram-positive L. monocytogenes, which will provide a novel insight to unlock the efficient control of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria in modified-atmosphere packaged food.

Effect of sunlight and salinity on the survival of pathogenic and non‐pathogenic strains of Vibrio parahaemolyticus in water microcosms

“…Furthermore, this bacterium has been isolated from brine where the salinity can exceed the 60 psu (Mejlholm et al, 2012). The Vibrio genus is considered a common marine bacterium, and its adaptation to marine conditions has conferred it to a multiple response to hostile marine environment, and this survival strategy was accompanied by the expression of gene arsenal conferring a multiresistance to some stressed conditions (Qian et al, 2020;Wong & Wang, 2004).…”

Mild processing of seafood—A review

“…It has been shown that L. monocytogenes can form bacterial biofilms to survive on food processing surfaces under anaerobic conditions (Qian et al, 2020). Qian et al (2020) investigated the influence of MA on L. monocytogenes biofilms during storage. They found that anaerobiosis significantly reduced the prevalence and thickness of biofilms formed compared to aerobic conditions.…”

“…Qian et al. (2020) investigated the influence of MA on L. monocytogenes biofilms during storage. They found that anaerobiosis significantly reduced the prevalence and thickness of biofilms formed compared to aerobic conditions.…”

“…Another concern regarding L. monocytogenes is the ability to form biofilms, a complex community of microorganisms attached to surfaces of food processing equipment. It has been shown that L. monocytogenes can form bacterial biofilms to survive on food processing surfaces under anaerobic conditions (Qian et al, 2020). Qian et al (2020) investigated the influence of MA on L. monocytogenes biofilms during storage.…”

Adaptations of Vibrio parahaemolyticus to Stress During Environmental Survival, Host Colonization, and Infection

“…Among these, temperature is one of important activators (Freestone, 2013;Fang et al, 2016). Most of the environmental strains may have conserved virulence-associated mechanisms, but the clinical strains showed a notable difference in response to the human temperature (37 • C) such as biofilm formation, motility, and protease production (Mahoney et al, 2010;Hu and Zhang, 2020;Qian et al, 2020). The ecology of Vp is largely influenced by temperature and salinity (Urmersbach et al, 2015).…”