title: Quantification of the influence of trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) on the heat resistance of Escherichia coli K12 at lethal temperatures.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To quantify the influence of trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) on the heat resistance of Escherichia coli K12 MG1655 cells at static temperatures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Stationary-phase E. coli cells were inactivated at 52, 54 and 58°C. The heat resistance is described as reduction in the inactivation rate, k(max) , and/or an increase in the time for one decimal reduction, D, and/or an increase in the time for the fourth decimal reduction, t(4D) .
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Resistance of E. coli changed - increased - at all temperatures under study. Generally, the addition of TMAO to the growth medium protected E. coli cells, leading to an increase in their heat resistance, i.e. reduced k(max) and increased D and t(4D) values are obtained.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Additional knowledge on the reaction of E. coli to heat in the presence of the organic osmolyte TMAO at lethal temperatures is provided. This work contributes to an improved understanding of the level of the resistance of bacteria to heat in the presence of osmolytes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: E G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Velliou
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Van Derlinden
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Cappuyns
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Aerts
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nikolaidou
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Geeraerd
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Devlieghere
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Van Impe
mesh_terms: D048168:Escherichia coli K12 / Q000187:drug effects*; D006358:Hot Temperature; D008744:Methylamines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D050296:Microbial Viability
chemical_list: D008744:Methylamines; C005855:trimethyloxamine