We examined the effects of chlorine disinfection on Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium in secondary-treated wastewater to determine whether such treatment might induce these bacteria into the viable but nonculturable (VBNC) state. In this state, cells lose culturability but retain viability and the potential to revert to the metabolically active and infectious state. To examine the eff...

The abundance of Vibrio vulnificus in coastal environments has been linked to water temperature, while its relationship to salinity is less clear. We have developed a culture-independent, most-probable-number quantitative PCR approach to examine V. vulnificus population dynamics in Barnegat Bay, N.J. Based on the combined analysis of our results from Barnegat Bay and from the literature, the pr...

MreB, the homolog of eukaryotic actin, may play a vital role when prokaryotes cope with stress by altering their spatial organization, including their morphology, subcellular architecture, and localization of macromolecules. This study investigates the behavior of MreB in Vibrio parahaemolyticus under various stresses. The behavior of MreB was probed using a yellow fluorescent protein-MreB conj...

AIMS To assess the stability of 16S rRNA of viable but nonculturable (VBNC) probiotics during storage when compared with different attributes of viability. METHODS AND RESULTS Levels of RNA of the probiotic strains Bifidobacterium longum 46, B. longum 2C and B. animalis subsp. lactis Bb-12 were monitored during storage in fermented and nonfermented foods. Cells which gradually lost their cult...

Knowledge on long-term preservation of micro-organisms is limited and research in the field is scarce despite its importance for microbial biodiversity and biotechnological innovation. Preservation of fastidious organisms such as methane-oxidizing bacteria (MOB) has proven difficult. Most MOB do not survive lyophilization and only some can be cryopreserved successfully for short periods. A larg...

Struvite formed from digested poultry slurries can serve as an alternative to chemical fertilizers; however, the biological safety of such products is questionable. Therefore, quantification and inactivation foodborne pathogens existing in struvite are important. Herein, dynamics pathogens' (Streptococcus faecalis, S. typhimurium, Clostridium perfringens, Escherichia coli) living status, whethe...

Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a halophilic Gram-negative bacterium that causes human gastroenteritis. When the viable but nonculturable (VBNC) state of this bacterium was induced by incubation at 4°C in Morita minimal salt solution containing 0.5% NaCl, the rod-shaped cells became coccoid, and various aberrantly shaped intermediates were formed in the initial stage. This study examined the factors...

We have recently demonstrated that antibiotic pressure can induce the viable but non-culturable (VBNC) state in Staphylococcus aureus biofilms. Since dormant bacterial cells can undermine anti-infective therapy, a greater understanding of the role of antibiotics of last resort, including daptomycin, is crucial. Methicillin-resistant S. aureus 10850 biofilms were maintained on non-nutrient (NN) ...

AIM A standard procedure does not exist to distinguish between attached and unattached micro-organisms. In this study, we compared two methods to quantify between Escherichia coli attached to clay particles and E. coli freely suspended in solution: flow cytometry (attachment assay and viability assay) and settling (or centrifugation followed by settling). METHODS AND RESULTS Methods were test...