title: Adaptational changes in cellular phospholipids and fatty acid composition of the food pathogen Listeria monocytogenes as a stress response to disinfectant sanitizer benzalkonium chloride.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study provides a first approach to observing the alterations of the cell membrane lipids in the adaptation response of Listeria monocytogenes to the sanitizer benzalkonium chloride.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A thorough investigation of the composition of polar and neutral lipids from L. monocytogenes grown when exposed to benzalkonium chloride is compared to cells optimally grown. The adaptation mechanism of L. monocytogenes in the presence of benzalkonium chloride caused (i) an increase in saturated-chain fatty acids (mainly C(16:0) and C(18:0) ) and unsaturated fatty acids (mainly C(16:1) and C(18:1) ) at the expense of branched-chain fatty acids (mainly C(a-15:0) and C(a-17:0) ) mainly because of neutral fatty acids; (ii) no alteration in the percentage of neutral and polar lipid content among total lipids; (iii) a decrease in lipid phosphorus and (iv) an obvious increase in the anionic phospholipids and a decrease in the amphiphilic phosphoaminolipid.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These lipid changes could lead to decreased membrane fluidity and also to modifications of physicochemical properties of cell surface and thus changes in bacterial adhesion to abiotic surfaces.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The adaptation and resistance of L. monocytogenes to disinfectants is able to change its physiology to allow growth in food-processing plants. Understanding microbial stress response mechanisms would improve the effective use of disinfectants.
authors.affiliation: Food Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Athens, Panepistimioupolis Zografou, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bisbiroulas
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Psylou
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Iliopoulou
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Diakogiannis
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Berberi
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Mastronicolis
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological / Q000187:drug effects; D001548:Benzalkonium Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D002855:Chromatography, Thin Layer; D004202:Disinfectants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000032:analysis*; D005516:Food Microbiology; D008089:Listeria monocytogenes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D008560:Membrane Fluidity / Q000187:drug effects; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D001548:Benzalkonium Compounds; D004202:Disinfectants; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D010743:Phospholipids