title: The role of small acid-soluble proteins (SASPs) in protection of spores of Clostridium botulinum against nitrous acid.
abstract: Mutant strains of Clostridium botulinum ATCC 3502 were generated using the ClosTron in four genes (CBO1789, CBO1790, CBO3048, CBO3145) identified as encoding α/β-type SASP homologues. The spores of mutant strains in which CBO1789 or CBO1790 was inactivated demonstrated a significant increase in sensitivity to the damaging agent nitrous acid (P<0.01), a phenotype that was partially restored to wild-type in complementation studies. In contrast to nitrous acid, the spores of the CBO1789 and CBO1790 mutants showed no change in their resistance to formaldehyde and hydrogen peroxide (P>0.05), two other chemicals commonly used as components of disinfection regimes. These data indicate that the SASPs CBO1789 or CBO1790 play a significant role in resistance to nitrous acid, but not in resistance to formaldehyde or hydrogen peroxide.
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, Centre for Biomolecular Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK.
authors.forename: Carolyn A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Meaney
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, Centre for Biomolecular Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK.
authors.forename: Stephen T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Cartman
authors.affiliation: Unilever Research and Development, Bedford MK44 1LQ, UK.
authors.forename: Peter J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: McClure
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, Centre for Biomolecular Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK. Electronic address: nigel.minton@nottingham.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Nigel P
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Minton
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D001906:Botulism / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D003014:Clostridium botulinum / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004202:Disinfectants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D005517:Foodborne Diseases / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D005557:Formaldehyde / Q000494:pharmacology*; D055786:Gene Knockout Techniques; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009608:Nitrous Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013171:Spores, Bacterial / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004202:Disinfectants; D005557:Formaldehyde; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D009608:Nitrous Acid
keywords: Bacterial spores; Chemical resistance; ClosTron; Clostridium species; Food poisoning