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Applied and Environmental Microbiology, July 2002, p. 3183-3189, Vol. 68, No. 7
0099-2240/02/$04.00+0 DOI: 10.1128/AEM.68.7.3183-3189.2002
Copyright © 2002, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.
Characterization of a Listeria monocytogenes Scott A Isolate with High Tolerance towards High Hydrostatic Pressure
Kimon A. G. Karatzas* and Marjon H. J. Bennik,
Wageningen Centre of Food Sciences and Agrotechnological Research Institute, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
Received 19 November 2001/
Accepted 11 April 2002
An isolate of L. monocytogenes Scott A that is tolerant to high hydrostatic pressure (HHP), named AK01, was isolated upon a single pressurization treatment of 400 MPa for 20 min and was further characterized. The survival of exponential- and stationary-phase cells of AK01 in ACES [N-(2-acetamido)-2-aminoethanesulfonic acid] buffer was at least 2 log units higher than that of the wild type over a broad range of pressures (150 to 500 MPa), while both strains showed higher HHP tolerance (piezotolerance) in the stationary than in the exponential phase of growth. In semiskim milk, exponential-phase cells of both strains showed lower reductions upon pressurization than in buffer, but again, AK01 was more piezotolerant than the wild type. The piezotolerance of AK01 was retained for at least 40 generations in rich medium, suggesting a stable phenotype. Interestingly, cells of AK01 lacked flagella, were elongated, and showed slightly lower maximum specific growth rates than the wild type at 8, 22, and 30°C. Moreover, the piezotolerant strain AK01 showed increased resistance to heat, acid, and H2O2 compared with the wild type. The difference in HHP tolerance between the piezotolerant strain and the wild-type strain could not be attributed to differences in membrane fluidity, since strain AK01 and the wild type had identical in situ lipid melting curves as determined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The demonstrated occurrence of a piezotolerant isolate of L. monocytogenes underscores the need to further investigate the mechanisms underlying HHP resistance of food-borne microorganisms, which in turn will contribute to the appropriate design of safe, accurate, and feasible HHP treatments.
* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Ippokratous 31, 55134 Thessaloniki, Greece. Phone: 30-310-432964. Fax: 31-310-471257. E-mail:
akaratza{at}otenet.gr.
Present address: Institute of Food Research, Food Safety Microbiology Section, Norwich NR4 7UA, United Kingdom.
Applied and Environmental Microbiology, July 2002, p. 3183-3189, Vol. 68, No. 7
0099-2240/02/$04.00+0 DOI: 10.1128/AEM.68.7.3183-3189.2002
Copyright © 2002, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.
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