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Investigating a role for nitric oxide in the control of biofilm and zoonotic pathogen colonisation of the spinach phylloplane

Investigating a role for nitric oxide in the control of biofilm and zoonotic pathogen colonisation of the spinach phylloplane
Investigating a role for nitric oxide in the control of biofilm and zoonotic pathogen colonisation of the spinach phylloplane
Outbreaks of food poisoning associated with zoonotic pathogen contamination of RTE fresh products such as leafy salads are on the increase and new strategies for the control of pathogen contamination are required. Salmonella spp. are of particular concern as they remain the main cause of fresh produce associated food poisoning outbreaks in the U.S. and Europe. Efficient colonisation of spinach leaves by S. Thompson and S. Typhimurium, and the formation of bacterial biofilms, was demonstrated using EDIC/EF microscopy. The novel biofilm dispersal agent, nitric oxide, did not induce detachment of Salmonella spp from the phylloplane but did influence attachment and colonisation of spinach leaves by Salmonella spp. Factors influencing the attachment to and colonisation of surfaces by S. Typhimurium, (temperature and flagellar expression) were investigated and found to influence, but not be essential for surface colonisation and biofilm formation. Nitric oxide treatment also did not induce dispersal of S. Typhimurium biofilms in an abiotic surface model system. However, a proteomic investigation demonstrated that nitric oxide signaling is active in S. Typhimurium and that proteins involved in signaling and in energy production consistent with existence outside of a biofilm state were up-regulated. Nitric oxide treatment was also investigated for its potential to induce biofilm dispersal for indigenous phylloplane populations for the improvement of product quality and was not found to induce significant removal of indigenous bacteria from leaves. Together these investigations demonstrate that there remains much more to be understood about the interactions of zoonotic pathogens and indigenous phylloplane populations with fresh produce surfaces for development of novel decontamination strategies such as the use of nitric oxide for biofilm dispersal.
Gibbins, Nicola
04be143e-90ed-4880-9587-fe9328f65544
Gibbins, Nicola
04be143e-90ed-4880-9587-fe9328f65544
Keevil, Charles W.
cb7de0a7-ce33-4cfa-af52-07f99e5650eb
Webb, Jeremy S.
ec0a5c4e-86cc-4ae9-b390-7298f5d65f8d

Gibbins, Nicola (2013) Investigating a role for nitric oxide in the control of biofilm and zoonotic pathogen colonisation of the spinach phylloplane. University of Southampton, Biological Sciences, Doctoral Thesis, 293pp.

Record type: Thesis (Doctoral)

Abstract

Outbreaks of food poisoning associated with zoonotic pathogen contamination of RTE fresh products such as leafy salads are on the increase and new strategies for the control of pathogen contamination are required. Salmonella spp. are of particular concern as they remain the main cause of fresh produce associated food poisoning outbreaks in the U.S. and Europe. Efficient colonisation of spinach leaves by S. Thompson and S. Typhimurium, and the formation of bacterial biofilms, was demonstrated using EDIC/EF microscopy. The novel biofilm dispersal agent, nitric oxide, did not induce detachment of Salmonella spp from the phylloplane but did influence attachment and colonisation of spinach leaves by Salmonella spp. Factors influencing the attachment to and colonisation of surfaces by S. Typhimurium, (temperature and flagellar expression) were investigated and found to influence, but not be essential for surface colonisation and biofilm formation. Nitric oxide treatment also did not induce dispersal of S. Typhimurium biofilms in an abiotic surface model system. However, a proteomic investigation demonstrated that nitric oxide signaling is active in S. Typhimurium and that proteins involved in signaling and in energy production consistent with existence outside of a biofilm state were up-regulated. Nitric oxide treatment was also investigated for its potential to induce biofilm dispersal for indigenous phylloplane populations for the improvement of product quality and was not found to induce significant removal of indigenous bacteria from leaves. Together these investigations demonstrate that there remains much more to be understood about the interactions of zoonotic pathogens and indigenous phylloplane populations with fresh produce surfaces for development of novel decontamination strategies such as the use of nitric oxide for biofilm dispersal.

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Published date: 30 April 2013
Organisations: University of Southampton, Centre for Biological Sciences

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 358278
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/358278
PURE UUID: a08e4476-43a4-42bd-8518-6d9d3565f2ef
ORCID for Charles W. Keevil: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-1917-7706
ORCID for Jeremy S. Webb: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-2068-8589

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 19 Nov 2013 15:28
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 03:26

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Contributors

Author: Nicola Gibbins
Thesis advisor: Charles W. Keevil ORCID iD
Thesis advisor: Jeremy S. Webb ORCID iD

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