This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowReprints and Permissions
Right arrow Copyright Information
Right arrow Books from ASM Press
Right arrow MicrobeWorld
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by del Mar Lleò, M.
Right arrow Articles by Canepari, P.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by del Mar Lleò, M.
Right arrow Articles by Canepari, P.
Agricola
Right arrow Articles by del Mar Lleò, M.
Right arrow Articles by Canepari, P.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, October 2000, p. 4564-4567, Vol. 66, No. 10
0099-2240/00/$04.00+0
Copyright © 2000, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.

mRNA Detection by Reverse Transcription-PCR for Monitoring Viability over Time in an Enterococcus faecalis Viable but Nonculturable Population Maintained in a Laboratory Microcosm

Maria del Mar Lleò,* Sabrina Pierobon, Maria Carla Tafi, Caterina Signoretto, and Pietro Canepari

Dipartimento di Patologia, Sezione di Microbiologia, Università di Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy

Received 5 June 2000/Accepted 24 July 2000

The viable but nonculturable (VBNC) state is a survival strategy adopted by bacteria when they are exposed to hostile environmental conditions. It has been shown that VBNC forms of bacteria are no longer capable of growing on conventional bacteriological media but conserve pathogenic factors and/or genes. It is thus necessary to develop methods capable of detecting nonculturable bacteria and of establishing their viability when the microbiological quality of environments is monitored. In this study we demonstrated that a gene was expressed during the VBNC state in a low-nutrient-concentration microcosm through detection of Enterococcus faecalis pbp5 mRNA by reverse transcription-PCR over a 3-month period. The presence of mRNA correlated with metabolic activity and resuscitation capability, indicating the viability of the VBNC cells.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Dipartimento di Patologia, Sezione di Microbiologia, Università di Verona, Strada Le Grazie, 8, 37134 Verona, Italy. Phone: (39) 045-8027194. Fax: (39) 045-584606. E-mail: lleo{at}borgoroma.univr.it.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, October 2000, p. 4564-4567, Vol. 66, No. 10
0099-2240/00/$04.00+0
Copyright © 2000, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.


This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Wormser, G. P., Schwartz, I. (2009). Antibiotic Treatment of Animals Infected with Borrelia burgdorferi. Clin. Microbiol. Rev. 22: 387-395 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Martin-Platero, A. M., Valdivia, E., Maqueda, M., Martin-Sanchez, I., Martinez-Bueno, M. (2008). Polyphasic Approach to Bacterial Dynamics during the Ripening of Spanish Farmhouse Cheese, Using Culture-Dependent and -Independent Methods. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 74: 5662-5673 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Fera, M. T., Maugeri, T. L., Gugliandolo, C., La Camera, E., Lentini, V., Favaloro, A., Bonanno, D., Carbone, M. (2008). Induction and Resuscitation of Viable Nonculturable Arcobacter butzleri Cells. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 74: 3266-3268 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Juhna, T., Birzniece, D., Rubulis, J. (2007). Effect of Phosphorus on Survival of Escherichia coli in Drinking Water Biofilms. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 73: 3755-3758 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Smith, B., Oliver, J. D. (2006). In Situ and In Vitro Gene Expression by Vibrio vulnificus during Entry into, Persistence within, and Resuscitation from the Viable but Nonculturable State. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 72: 1445-1451 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Ramadhan, A A, Hegedus, E (2005). Survivability of vancomycin resistant enterococci and fitness cost of vancomycin resistance acquisition. J. Clin. Pathol. 58: 744-746 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • He, J.-W., Jiang, S. (2005). Quantification of Enterococci and Human Adenoviruses in Environmental Samples by Real-Time PCR. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 71: 2250-2255 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Signoretto, C., Burlacchini, G., Pruzzo, C., Canepari, P. (2005). Persistence of Enterococcus faecalis in Aquatic Environments via Surface Interactions with Copepods. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 71: 2756-2761 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Signoretto, C., Burlacchini, G., Lleo, M. d. M., Pruzzo, C., Zampini, M., Pane, L., Franzini, G., Canepari, P. (2004). Adhesion of Enterococcus faecalis in the Nonculturable State to Plankton Is the Main Mechanism Responsible for Persistence of This Bacterium in both Lake and Seawater. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 70: 6892-6896 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Campbell, M. S., Wright, A. C. (2003). Real-Time PCR Analysis of Vibrio vulnificus from Oysters. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 69: 7137-7144 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Bleve, G., Rizzotti, L., Dellaglio, F., Torriani, S. (2003). Development of Reverse Transcription (RT)-PCR and Real-Time RT-PCR Assays for Rapid Detection and Quantification of Viable Yeasts and Molds Contaminating Yogurts and Pasteurized Food Products. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 69: 4116-4122 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Lleo, M. d. M., Bonato, B., Signoretto, C., Canepari, P. (2003). Vancomycin Resistance Is Maintained in Enterococci in the Viable but Nonculturable State and after Division Is Resumed. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 47: 1154-1156 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Heim, S., Del Mar Lleo, M., Bonato, B., Guzman, C. A., Canepari, P. (2002). The Viable but Nonculturable State and Starvation Are Different Stress Responses of Enterococcus faecalis, as Determined by Proteome Analysis. J. Bacteriol. 184: 6739-6745 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Fischer-Le Saux, M., Hervio-Heath, D., Loaec, S., Colwell, R. R., Pommepuy, M. (2002). Detection of Cytotoxin-Hemolysin mRNA in Nonculturable Populations of Environmental and Clinical Vibrio vulnificus Strains in Artificial Seawater. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 68: 5641-5646 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Lipp, E. K., Huq, A., Colwell, R. R. (2002). Effects of Global Climate on Infectious Disease: the Cholera Model. Clin. Microbiol. Rev. 15: 757-770 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Haranaga, S., Ikejima, H., Yamaguchi, H., Friedman, H., Yamamoto, Y. (2002). Analysis of Chlamydia pneumoniae Growth in Cells by Reverse Transcription-PCR Targeted to Bacterial Gene Transcripts. CVI 9: 313-319 [Abstract] [Full Text]  


Copyright © 2009 by the American Society for Microbiology.   For an alternate route to Journals.ASM.org, visit: http://intl-journals.asm.org | More Info»