title: Ethanol-mediated variations in cellular fatty acid composition and protein profiles of two genotypically different strains of Escherichia coli O157:H7.
abstract: Two strains of Escherichia coli O157:H7 were grown in tryptic soy broth (TSB, pH 7.1) supplemented with 0, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5, and 10% ethanol at 30 degrees C for up to 54 h. Growth rates in TSB supplemented with 0, 2.5, and 5.0% ethanol decreased with an increase in ethanol concentration. Growth was not observed in TSB supplemented with 7.5 or 10% ethanol. The pH of TSB containing 5.0% ethanol decreased to 5.8 within 12 h and then increased to 7.0 at 54 h. The ethanol content in TSB supplemented with 2.5 or 5.0% ethanol did not change substantially during the first 36 h of incubation but decreased slightly thereafter, indicating utilization or degradation of ethanol by both strains. Glucose was depleted in TSB supplemented with 0, 2.5, or 5.0% ethanol within 12 h. Cells grown under ethanol stress contained a higher amount of fatty acids. With the exceptions of cis-oleic acid and nonadecanoic acid, larger amounts of fatty acid were present in stationary-phase cells of the two strains grown in TSB supplemented with 5.0% ethanol for 30 h than in cells grown in TSB without ethanol for 22 h. The trans-oleic acid content was 10-fold higher in the cells grown in TSB with 5.0% ethanol than those grown in TSB without ethanol. In contrast, cis-oleic acid was not detected in ethanol-stressed cells but was present at concentrations of 0.32 and 0.36 mg/g of cells of the two strains grown in TSB without ethanol. Protein content was higher in ethanol-stressed cells than in nonstressed cells. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis protein profiles varied qualitatively as affected by the strain and the presence of ethanol in TSB. An ethanol-mediated protein (28 kDa) was observed in the ethanol-stressed cells but not in control cells. It is concluded that the two test strains of E. coli O157:H7 underwent phenotypic modifications in cellular fatty acid composition and protein profiles in response to ethanol stress. The potential for cross protection against subsequent stresses applied in food preservation technologies as a result of these changes is under investigation.
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Biotechnology, National Chiayi University, Chiayi, Taiwan.
authors.forename: R Y-Y
authors.initials: RY
authors.lastname: Chiou
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Phillips
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Doyle
authors.forename: L R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Beuchat
mesh_terms: D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; D019453:Escherichia coli O157 / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D005516:Food Microbiology; D005519:Food Preservation; D005838:Genotype; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D005227:Fatty Acids; D000431:Ethanol