Adaptation of enteropathogenic Yersinia to low growth temperature.
Yersinia enterocolitica and Yersinia pseudotuberculosis are important foodborne pathogens that cause infections through contaminated refrigerated food. Their cold tolerance mechanisms are therefore of special interest. Adaptation to cold involves changes in protein synthesis and in cell membranes to overcome diminished transcriptional and translational efficiency and reduced fluidity of cell membranes. Studies of low temperature adaptation mechanisms have mainly been performed on mesophilic bacteria, while most modern food hygiene risks are caused by psychrotrophs. Understanding low temperature adaptation of psychrotrophs would help to control these pathogens. This review demonstrates that more studies on cold tolerance mechanisms of psychrotrophs are needed.
Palonen
Eveliina
E
Department of Food and Environmental Hygiene, University of Helsinki, Finland. eveliina.palonen@helsinki.fi
Lindström
Miia
M
Korkeala
Hannu
H
D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D003080:Cold Temperature; D005516:Food Microbiology; D006801:Humans; D015008:Yersinia enterocolitica / Q000502:physiology*; D015011:Yersinia pseudotuberculosis / Q000502:physiology*