Manuela Barbosa

Characterization of the lactic acid bacteria in artisanal dairy products

The European Union is thanked for partly financing this project under ECLAIR contract CT-91-0064.

Marked intra-strain variation in response of Listeria monocytogenes dairy isolates to acid or salt stress and the effect of acid or salt adaptation on adherence to abiotic surfaces

During food processing, and particularly in cheese manufacturing processes, Listeria monocytogenes may be exposed routinely to environments of low pH or high salt concentration. It has been suggested that these environmental conditions may contribute to bacterial adherence to abiotic surfaces and increased resistance to disinfection. In this study strains isolated from the environment of artisanal cheese-making dairies were used to investigate the behaviour of L. monocytogenes in response to acid and salt stress and clear differences between strains was observed. In planktonic culture, strains varied in resistance to low pH or high NaCl concentration and in the occurrence of an adaptive response to moderate acid or NaCl. There was dislocation in responses to salt and acid. Strains resistant, or adaptive, to acid were not resistant or adaptive to NaCl. The reverse also was observed. Exposure to moderate acid did not promote adherence to polystyrene but survival, at low pH or high NaCl concentration, of cells adherent to stainless steel was increased, even for strains that had no adaptive response planktonically, but the detail of these observations varied between strains. In contrast to acid adaptation, with some strains salt adaptation enhanced adherence of L. monocytogenes to polystyrene but this was not true for all strains. For some strains salt- or acid adaptation may enhance the survival of sessile cells exposed to hypochlorite disinfection.

Listeria monocytogenes Biofilm-Associated Protein (BapL) May Contribute to Surface Attachment of L. monocytogenes but Is Absent from Many Field Isolates

ABSTRACT Listeria monocytogenes is a food-borne pathogen capable of adhering to a range of surfaces utilized within the food industry, including stainless steel. The factors required for the attachment of this ubiquitous organism to abiotic surfaces are still relatively unknown. In silico analysis of the L. monocytogenes EGD genome identified a putative cell wall-anchored protein (Lmo0435 [BapL]), which had similarity to proteins involved in biofilm formation by staphylococci. An insertion mutation was constructed in L. monocytogenes to determine the influence of this protein on attachment to abiotic surfaces. The results show that the protein may contribute to the surface adherence of strains that possess BapL, but it is not an essential requirement for all L. monocytogenes strains. Several BapL-negative field isolates demonstrated an ability to adhere to abiotic surfaces equivalent to that of BapL-positive strains. BapL is not required for the virulence of L. monocytogenes in mice.

Listeria monocytogenes biofilm-associated protein (BapL) may contribute to surface attachment of L. monocytogenes but is absent from many field isolates.

ABSTRACT Listeria monocytogenes is a food-borne pathogen capable of adhering to a range of surfaces utilized within the food industry, including stainless steel. The factors required for the attachment of this ubiquitous organism to abiotic surfaces are still relatively unknown. In silico analysis of the L. monocytogenes EGD genome identified a putative cell wall-anchored protein (Lmo0435 [BapL]), which had similarity to proteins involved in biofilm formation by staphylococci. An insertion mutation was constructed in L. monocytogenes to determine the influence of this protein on attachment to abiotic surfaces. The results show that the protein may contribute to the surface adherence of strains that possess BapL, but it is not an essential requirement for all L. monocytogenes strains. Several BapL-negative field isolates demonstrated an ability to adhere to abiotic surfaces equivalent to that of BapL-positive strains. BapL is not required for the virulence of L. monocytogenes in mice.

Preliminary Design of the Brazilian's National Institute for Space Research Broadband Radiometer for Solar Observations

The Total Solar Irradiance (TSI), which is the total radiation arriving at Earth’s atmosphere from the Sun, is one of the most important forcing of the Earths climate. Measurements of the TSI have been made employing instruments on board several space-based platforms during the last four solar cycles. However, combining these measurements is still challenging due to the degradation of the sensor elements and the long-term stability of the electronics. Here we describe the preliminary efforts to design an absolute radiometer based on the principle of electrical substitution that is under development at Brazilian’s National Institute for Space Research (INPE).

Where present, Listeria biofilm-associated protein (BapL) may contribute to surface attachment of Listeria monocytogenes but it is absent from many field isolates

ABSTRACT Listeria monocytogenes is a food-borne pathogen capable of adhering to a range of surfaces utilized within the food industry, including stainless steel. The factors required for the attachment of this ubiquitous organism to abiotic surfaces are still relatively unknown. In silico analysis of the L. monocytogenes EGD genome identified a putative cell wall-anchored protein (Lmo0435 [BapL]), which had similarity to proteins involved in biofilm formation by staphylococci. An insertion mutation was constructed in L. monocytogenes to determine the influence of this protein on attachment to abiotic surfaces. The results show that the protein may contribute to the surface adherence of strains that possess BapL, but it is not an essential requirement for all L. monocytogenes strains. Several BapL-negative field isolates demonstrated an ability to adhere to abiotic surfaces equivalent to that of BapL-positive strains. BapL is not required for the virulence of L. monocytogenes in mice.