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Applied and Environmental Microbiology, November 2004, p. 6800-6808, Vol. 70, No. 11
0099-2240/04/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/AEM.70.11.6800-6808.2004
Copyright © 2004, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Ultrastructural Alterations of Erwinia carotovora subsp. atroseptica Caused by Treatment with Aluminum Chloride and Sodium Metabisulfite

Elian-Simplice Yaganza,1 Danny Rioux,2 Marie Simard,2 Joseph Arul,1 and Russell J. Tweddell1*

Centre de Recherche en Horticulture, Université Laval,1 Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service, Laurentian Forestry Centre, Québec City, Québec, Canada2

Received 29 March 2004/ Accepted 24 June 2004

Aluminum and bisulfite salts inhibit the growth of several fungi and bacteria, and their application effectively controls potato soft rot caused by Erwinia carotovora. In an effort to understand their inhibitory action, ultrastructural changes in Erwinia carotovora subsp. atroseptica after exposure (0 to 20 min) to different concentrations (0.05, 0.1, and 0.2 M) of these salts were examined by using transmission electron microscopy. Plasma membrane integrity was evaluated by using the SYTOX Green fluorochrome that penetrates only cells with altered membranes. Bacteria exposed to all aluminum chloride concentrations, especially 0.2 M, exhibited loosening of the cell walls, cell wall rupture, cytoplasmic aggregation, and an absence of extracellular vesicles. Sodium metabisulfite caused mainly a retraction of plasma membrane and cellular voids which were more pronounced with increasing concentration. Bacterial mortality was closely associated with SYTOX stain absorption when bacteria were exposed to either a high concentration (0.2 M) of aluminum chloride or prolonged exposure (20 min) to 0.05 M aluminum chloride or to a pH of 2.5. Bacteria exposed to lower concentrations of aluminum chloride (0.05 and 0.1 M) for 10 min or less, or to metabisulfite at all concentrations, did not exhibit significant stain absorption, suggesting that no membrane damage occurred or it was too weak to allow the penetration of the stain into the cell. While mortality caused by aluminum chloride involves membrane damage and subsequent cytoplasmic aggregation, sulfite exerts its effect intracellularly; it is transported across the membrane by free diffusion of molecular SO2 with little damage to the cellular membrane.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Centre de Recherche en Horticulture, Pavillon de l'Envirotron, Université Laval, Québec City, Québec G1K 7P4, Canada. Phone: (418) 656-2131, ext. 4553. Fax: (418) 656-7871. E-mail: russell.tweddell{at}crh.ulaval.ca.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, November 2004, p. 6800-6808, Vol. 70, No. 11
0099-2240/04/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/AEM.70.11.6800-6808.2004
Copyright © 2004, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Yaganza, E.-S., Tweddell, R. J., Arul, J. (2009). Physicochemical Basis for the Inhibitory Effects of Organic and Inorganic Salts on the Growth of Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum and Pectobacterium atrosepticum. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 75: 1465-1469 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Avis, T. J., Michaud, M., Tweddell, R. J. (2007). Role of Lipid Composition and Lipid Peroxidation in the Sensitivity of Fungal Plant Pathogens to Aluminum Chloride and Sodium Metabisulfite. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 73: 2820-2824 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Kuehn, M. J., Kesty, N. C. (2005). Bacterial outer membrane vesicles and the host-pathogen interaction. Genes Dev. 19: 2645-2655 [Abstract] [Full Text]  


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