Cloning and sequencing of biofilm-associated protein (bapA) gene and its occurrence in different serotypes of Salmonella

Prevalence and Characterization of Salmonella Isolated from Chickens in Anhui, China

Salmonella is one of the most important zoonotic pathogens that can cause both acute and chronic illnesses in poultry flocks, and can also be transmitted to humans from infected poultry. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence, antimicrobial resistance, and molecular characteristics of Salmonella isolated from diseased and clinically healthy chickens in Anhui, China. In total, 108 Salmonella isolates (5.66%) were successfully recovered from chicken samples (n = 1908), including pathological tissue (57/408, 13.97%) and cloacal swabs (51/1500, 3.40%), and S. Enteritidis (43.52%), S. Typhimurium (23.15%), and S. Pullorum (10.19%) were the three most prevalent isolates. Salmonella isolates showed high rates of resistance to penicillin (61.11%), tetracyclines (47.22% to tetracycline and 45.37% to doxycycline), and sulfonamides (48.89%), and all isolates were susceptible to imipenem and polymyxin B. In total, 43.52% isolates were multidrug-resistant and had complex antimicrobial resistance patterns. The majority of isolates harbored cat1 (77.78%), blaTEM (61.11%), and blaCMY-2 (63.89%) genes, and the antimicrobial resistance genes in the isolates were significantly positively correlated with their corresponding resistance phenotype. Salmonella isolates carry high rates of virulence genes, with some of these reaching 100% (invA, mgtC, and stn). Fifty-seven isolates (52.78%) were biofilm-producing. The 108 isolates were classified into 12 sequence types (STs), whereby ST11 (43.51%) was the most prevalent, followed by ST19 (20.37%) and ST92 (13.89%). In conclusion, Salmonella infection in chicken flocks is still serious in Anhui Province, and not only causes disease in chickens but might also pose a threat to public health security.

Antibiogram, Virulence Genes, and Biofilm-Forming Ability of Clinical Salmonella enterica Serovars: An In Vitro Study

Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi and Salmonella Paratyphi are causative agents of enteric fever. Salmonella Typhi persists as a biofilm on gallstones. Hence, we studied the biofilm formation, antibiogram, and virulence genes of S. enterica serovars. Antibiogram of S. enterica serovars from human blood and stool samples were studied by Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method and biofilm by microtiter plate method. We studied the minimum inhibitory concentration of the isolates by Vitek-2 semiautomated system. Polymerase chain reaction was done to detect invA and spvC genes. Of the 55 isolates studied, 36 (65.45%) were Salmonella Typhi, 13 (23.63%) were Salmonella Paratyphi A, 2 (3.64%) were Salmonella Typhimurium, and 4 (7.28%) were Salmonella spp. Resistance to ciprofloxacin and nalidixic acid were found to be 81.8% and 92.7%, respectively. Chloramphenicol and cotrimoxazole-susceptible strains were 98.18%. One each of Salmonella Typhi, Salmonella Paratyphi A, and S. enterica isolates formed weak biofilm at 28°C. However, at 37°C eight Salmonella Typhi produced weak biofilm in the presence of bile. One Salmonella Paratyphi A and two Salmonella spp. formed weak biofilm in the absence of bile. All the isolates had the invA gene. Salmonella Typhimurium had invA and spvC genes. Bile may contribute to biofilm formation and persistence of the Salmonella Typhi on gallstones, which may lead to carrier state. Changing antibiotic susceptibility pattern of Salmonella serovars is observed in our geographic area. The presence of invA and spvC genes indicate the ability of invasiveness and intracellular survival.

Identification of bapA in Strains of Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica Isolated from Wild Animals Kept in Captivity in Sinaloa, Mexico

bapA, previously named stm2689, encodes the BapA protein, which, along with cellulose and fimbriae, constitutes biofilms. Biofilms are communities of microorganisms that grow in a matrix of exopolysaccharides and may adhere to living tissues or inert surfaces. Biofilm formation is associated with the ability to persist in different environments, which contributes to the pathogenicity of several species. We analyzed the presence of bapA in 83 strains belonging to 17 serovars of Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica from wildlife in captivity at Culiacan's Zoo and Mazatlán's Aquarium. Each isolate amplified a product of 667 bp, which corresponds to the expected size of the bapA initiator, with no observed variation between different serovars analyzed. bapA gene was found to be highly conserved in Salmonella and can be targeted for the genus-specific detection of this organism from different sources. Since bapA expression improves bacterial proliferation outside of the host and facilitates resistance to disinfectants and desiccation, the survival of Salmonella in natural habitats may be favored. Thus, the risk of bacterial contamination from these animals is increased.

Interactions of Salmonella with animals and plants

Salmonella enterica species are Gram-negative bacteria, which are responsible for a wide range of food- and water-borne diseases in both humans and animals, thereby posing a major threat to public health. Recently, there has been an increasing number of reports, linking Salmonella contaminated raw vegetables and fruits with food poisoning. Many studies have shown that an essential feature of the pathogenicity of Salmonella is its capacity to cross a number of barriers requiring invasion of a large variety of cells and that the extent of internalization may be influenced by numerous factors. However, it is poorly understood how Salmonella successfully infects hosts as diversified as animals or plants. The aim of this review is to describe the different stages required for Salmonella interaction with its hosts: (i) attachment to host surfaces; (ii) entry processes; (iii) multiplication; (iv) suppression of host defense mechanisms; and to point out similarities and differences between animal and plant infections.

Unraveling microbial biofilms of importance for food microbiology

The presence of biofilms is a relevant risk factors in the food industry due to the potential contamination of food products with pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms. The majority of bacteria are able to adhere and to form biofilms, where they can persist and survive for days to weeks or even longer, depending on the microorganism and the environmental conditions. The biological cycle of biofilms includes several developmental phases such as: initial attachment, maturation, maintenance, and dispersal. Bacteria in biofilms are generally well protected against environmental stress, consequently, extremely difficult to eradicate and detect in food industry. In the present manuscript, some techniques and compounds used to control and to prevent the biofilm formation are presented and discussed. Moreover, a number of novel techniques have been recently employed to detect and evaluate bacteria attached to surfaces, including real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), DNA microarray and confocal laser scanning microscopy. Better knowledge on the architecture, physiology and molecular signaling in biofilms can contribute for preventing and controlling food-related spoilage and pathogenic bacteria. The present study highlights basic and applied concepts important for understanding the role of biofilms in bacterial survival, persistence and dissemination in food processing environments.

Proteinaceous determinants of surface colonization in bacteria: bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation from a protein secretion perspective

Bacterial colonization of biotic or abiotic surfaces results from two quite distinct physiological processes, namely bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation. Broadly speaking, a biofilm is defined as the sessile development of microbial cells. Biofilm formation arises following bacterial adhesion but not all single bacterial cells adhering reversibly or irreversibly engage inexorably into a sessile mode of growth. Among molecular determinants promoting bacterial colonization, surface proteins are the most functionally diverse active components. To be present on the bacterial cell surface, though, a protein must be secreted in the first place. Considering the close association of secreted proteins with their cognate secretion systems, the secretome (which refers both to the secretion systems and their protein substrates) is a key concept to apprehend the protein secretion and related physiological functions. The protein secretion systems are here considered in light of the differences in the cell-envelope architecture between diderm-LPS (archetypal Gram-negative), monoderm (archetypal Gram-positive) and diderm-mycolate (archetypal acid-fast) bacteria. Besides, their cognate secreted proteins engaged in the bacterial colonization process are regarded from single protein to supramolecular protein structure as well as the non-classical protein secretion. This state-of-the-art on the complement of the secretome (the secretion systems and their cognate effectors) involved in the surface colonization process in diderm-LPS and monoderm bacteria paves the way for future research directions in the field.