title: The use of nucleosides and arginine as alternative energy sources by coagulase-negative staphylococci in view of meat fermentation.
abstract: The ability of coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) to use alternative energy sources in meat may partially explain their occurrence in fermented meats. Of 61 CNS strains tested, all metabolized adenosine and inosine in a meat simulation medium (MSM). The ability to catabolize arginine via the arginine deiminase (ADI) pathway varied between strains. All tested strains of Staphylococcus carnosus and Staphylococcus epidermidis possessed an arcA gene and showed ADI activity, whereas other species, such as Staphylococcus equorum and Staphylococcus succinus, did not. Arginine catabolic mobile elements (ACME), as in the positive control S. epidermidis ATCC 12228, were uncommon and only found in Staphylococcus xylosus 3PA6 (sausage isolate) and Staphylococcus chromogenes G222 (teat apex isolate). Monoculture experiments were performed in MSM with S. carnosus 833 and SS3-4, S. xylosus G211, and S. epidermidis ATCC 12228 and 2S7-4. At all pH values tested (5.3, 5.8, and 6.5), the strains of S. carnosus catabolized arginine faster than the strains of S. xylosus and S. epidermidis. Only at pH 6.5 could a low ADI activity be found for S. xylosus G211. Increased ADI activity occurred in the case of the ACME-positive S. epidermidis ATCC 12228, when compared to the ACME-negative S. epidermidis 2S7-4.
authors.affiliation: Research Group of Industrial Microbiology and Food Biotechnology (IMDO), Faculty of Sciences and Bio-engineering Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Janssens
authors.affiliation: Research Group of Industrial Microbiology and Food Biotechnology (IMDO), Faculty of Sciences and Bio-engineering Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Van der Mijnsbrugge
authors.affiliation: Research Group of Industrial Microbiology and Food Biotechnology (IMDO), Faculty of Sciences and Bio-engineering Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sánchez Mainar
authors.affiliation: Research Group of Industrial Microbiology and Food Biotechnology (IMDO), Faculty of Sciences and Bio-engineering Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Balzarini
authors.affiliation: Research Group of Industrial Microbiology and Food Biotechnology (IMDO), Faculty of Sciences and Bio-engineering Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: De Vuyst
authors.affiliation: Research Group of Industrial Microbiology and Food Biotechnology (IMDO), Faculty of Sciences and Bio-engineering Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium. Electronic address: fleroy@vub.ac.be.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Leroy
mesh_terms: D001120:Arginine / Q000378:metabolism*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D003030:Coagulase / Q000378:metabolism; D005285:Fermentation; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008461:Meat Products / Q000032:analysis / Q000382:microbiology*; D009705:Nucleosides / Q000378:metabolism*; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D003030:Coagulase; D009705:Nucleosides; D001120:Arginine
keywords: Adenosine; Arginine; Fermented meat; Inosine; Staphylococci