Phenotypic and Genetic Comparison of a Plant‐Internalized and an Animal‐Isolated Salmonella Choleraesuis Strain

Esteban-Cuesta, Irene; Labrador, Mirian; Hunt, Katharina; Reese, Sven ; Fischer, Jennie; Schwaiger, Karin and Gareis, Manfred (21. July 2021): Phenotypic and Genetic Comparison of a Plant‐Internalized and an Animal‐Isolated Salmonella Choleraesuis Strain. In: microorganism, Vol. 9, No. 1554: pp. 1-13

Abstract

Contamination of fresh produce with human pathogens poses an important risk for con‐ sumers, especially after raw consumption. Moreover, if microorganisms are internalized, no re‐ moval by means of further hygienic measures would be possible. Human pathogenic bacteria iden‐ tified in these food items are mostly of human or animal origin and an adaptation to this new niche and particularly for internalization would be presumed. This study compares a plant‐internalized and an animal‐borne Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Choleraesuis aiming at the identifi‐ cation of adaptation of the plant‐internalized strain to its original environment. For this purpose, a phenotypical characterization by means of growth curves under conditions resembling the indige‐ nous environment from the plant‐internalized strain and further analyses using Pulsed‐field gel electrophoresis and Matrix‐assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight spectrometry were as‐ sessed. Furthermore, comparative genomic analyses by means of single nucleotide polymorphisms and identification of present/absent genes were performed. Although some phenotypical and ge‐ netic differences could be found, no signs of a specific adaptation for colonization and internaliza‐ tion in plants could be clearly identified. This could suggest that any Salmonella strain could directly settle in this niche without any evolutionary process being necessary. Further comparative analysis including internalized strains would be necessary to assess this question. However, these kinds of strains are not easily available.

• Item Type: Journal article
• Form of publication: Publisher's Version
• Keywords: Salmonella; adaptation; endogenous; fresh produce; vegetables; foodborne pathogen; food safety
• Faculties: Veterinary Medicine; Veterinary Medicine > Department of Veterinary Medicine; Veterinary Medicine > Department of Veterinary Medicine > Lehrstuhl für Anatomie, Histologie und Embryologie; Veterinary Medicine > Department of Veterinary Medicine > Lehrstuhl für Lebensmittelsicherheit
• Subjects: 600 Technology > 610 Medicine and health
• ISSN: 2076-2607
• Language: English