Analysis of the role of the Cronobacter sakazakii ProP homologues in osmotolerance

Authors

Audrey Feeney, Cork Institute of Technology
Christopher D. Johnston, Cork Institute of Technology
Rodney Govender, Department of Biological Sciences, Cork Institute of Technology, Cork, IrelandFollow
Jim O'Mahony, Department of Biological Sciences, Cork Institute of Technology, Cork, IrelandFollow
Aidan Coffey, Department of Biological Sciences, Cork Institute of Technology, Cork, IrelandFollow
Roy D. Sleator, Department of Biological Sciences, Cork Institute of Technology, Cork, IrelandFollow

Document Type

Article

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Disciplines

Biology

Publication Details

Gut Pathogens

Abstract

Bacteria respond to elevated osmolality by the accumulation of a range of low molecular weight molecules, known as compatible solutes (owing to their compatibility with the cells' normal physiology at high internal concentrations). The neonatal pathogen Cronobacter sakazakii is uniquely osmotolerant, surviving in powdered infant formula (PIF) which typically has a water activity (aw) of 0.2 - inhospitable to most micro-organisms. Mortality rates of up to 80% in infected infants have been recorded making C. sakazakii a serious cause for concern. In silico analysis of the C. sakazakii BAA-894 genome revealed seven copies of the osmolyte uptake system ProP. Herein, we test the physiological role of each of these homologues following heterologous expression against an osmosensitive Escherichia coli host. © 2014 Feeney et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

Recommended Citation

Feeney, Audrey; Johnston, Christopher D.; Govender, Rodney; O'Mahony, Jim; Coffey, Aidan; and Sleator, Roy D., "Analysis of the role of the Cronobacter sakazakii ProP homologues in osmotolerance" (2014). Department of Biological Sciences Publications [online].
Available at: https://doi.org/10.1186/1757-4749-6-15