The combination of energy-dependent internal adaptation mechanisms and external factors enables listeria monocytogenes to express a strong starvation survival response during multiple-nutrient starvation

Bwalya Lungu, Joshua C. Saldivar, Robert Story, Steven C. Ricke, Michael G. Johnson

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

10 Scopus citations

Abstract

The goal of this study was to characterize the starvation survival response (SSR) of a wild-type Listeria monocytogenes 10403S and an isogenic ΔsigB mutant strain during multiple-nutrient starvation conditions over 28 days. This study examined the effects of inhibitors of protein synthesis, the proton motive force, substrate level phosphorylation, and oxidative phosphorylation on the SSR of L. monocytogenes 10403S and a ΔsigB mutant during multiple-nutrient starvation. The effects of starvation buffer changes on viability were also examined. During multiple-nutrient starvation, both strains expressed a strong SSR, suggesting that L. monocytogenes possesses SigB-independent mechanism(s) for survival during multiple-nutrient starvation. Neither strain was able to express an SSR following starvation buffer changes, indicating that the nutrients/factors present in the starvation buffer could be a source of energy for cell maintenance and survival. Neither the wild-type nor the ΔsigB mutant strain was able to elicit an SSR when exposed to the protein synthesis inhibitor chloramphenicol within the first 4h of starvation. However, both strains expressed an SSR when exposed to chloramphenicol after 6h or more of starvation, suggesting that the majority of proteins required to elicit an effective SSR in L. monocytogenes are likely produced somewhere between 4 and 6h of starvation. The varying SSRs of both strains to the different metabolic inhibitors under aerobic or anaerobic conditions suggested that (1) energy derived from the proton motive force is important for an effective SSR, (2) L. monocytogenes utilizes an anaerobic electron transport during multiple-nutrient starvation conditions, and (3) the glycolytic pathway is an important energy source during multiple-nutrient starvation when oxygen is available, and less important under anaerobic conditions. Collectively, the data suggest that the combination of energy-dependent internal adaptation mechanisms of cells and external nutrients/factors enables L. monocytogenes to express a strong SSR.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)499-505
Number of pages7
JournalFoodborne Pathogens and Disease
Volume7
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - May 1 2010
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Food Science
  • Microbiology
  • Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology
  • Animal Science and Zoology

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