RESUMEN
This study aimed to investigate a methodology for discriminating viable and non-viable T. gondii oocysts in water. Analyses included two steps: (i) microscopic investigation with vital dyes; (ii) molecular investigation, using a real time PCR (qPCR), after parasite treatment (or not) with propidium monoazide (PMA). The method was called qPCR-PMA. Oocyst aliquots were incubated (15 min) at 25 ºC or 100 ºC and analyzed by microscopy, after trypan blue and neutral red staining. Microscopic investigation determined viable and non-viable oocysts. For the molecular investigation, both aliquots of oocysts were treated with PMA. Non-viable oocysts, after PMA treatment, exhibited an inhibition of DNA amplification by qPCR. Although analyses were carried out with oocysts treated experimentally, these results suggest that qPCR-PMA can be a useful strategy to distinguish viable and non-viable T. gondii oocysts in water safety testing, showing if water is safe to drink.
Asunto(s)
Toxoplasma , Animales , Azidas , Gatos , Viabilidad Microbiana , Oocistos , Propidio/análogos & derivados , Reacción en Cadena en Tiempo Real de la Polimerasa , Toxoplasma/genéticaRESUMEN
Azospirillum brasilense is a plant growth promoting bacteria used as an inoculant in diverse crops. Accurate analytical methods are required to enumerate viable cells in inoculant formulations or in planta. We developed a quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assay associated to propidium monoazide (PMA) to evaluate the cell viability of A. brasilense in inoculant and in maize roots. A. brasilense was grown in culture medium and was exposed to 50 â. Maize roots were grown in vitro and harvested 7 days after inoculation. Quantification was performed by qPCR, PMA-qPCR, and plate counting. Standard curves efficiency values ranged from 85 to 99%. The limit of detection was 104 CFU per gram of fresh root. Enumeration obtained in maize roots by qPCR where higher than enumeration by PMA-qPCR and by plate counting. PMA-qPCR assay was efficient in quantifying inoculant viable cells and provides reliable results in a quickly and accurately way compared to culture-dependent methods.
Asunto(s)
Azidas/metabolismo , Azospirillum brasilense/fisiología , Microbiología Industrial/métodos , Viabilidad Microbiana , Raíces de Plantas/microbiología , Propidio/análogos & derivados , Reacción en Cadena en Tiempo Real de la Polimerasa , Propidio/metabolismo , Zea mays/microbiologíaRESUMEN
We report a specific and sensitive method to improve the coupling of propidium monoazide (PMA) with DNA derived from killed cells of Escherichia coli using UV light of 365 nm. UV light of three different intensities mainly 2.4 × 103, 4.8 × 103, and 7.2 × 103 µJ/cm2 was applied to E. coli cells each for 1, 3, and 5 min. PMA was found to be successfully cross-linked with the DNA from killed cells of E. coli at 4.8 × 103 µJ/cm2 in 3 min leading to the complete inhibition of PCR amplification of DNA derived from PMA-treated heat-killed cells. In spiked phosphate-buffered saline and potable water samples, the difference of the Cq values between PMA-treated viable cells and PMA-untreated viable cells ranged from -0.17 to 0.2, demonstrating that UV-induced PMA activation had a negligible effect on viable cells. In contrast, the difference of the Cq values between PMA-treated heat-killed cells and PMA-untreated heat-killed cells ranged from 8.9 to 9.99, indicating the ability of PMA to inhibit PCR amplification of DNA derived from killed cells to an equivalent as low as 100 CFU. In conclusion, this UV-coupled PMA-qPCR assay provided a rapid and sensitive methodology to selectively detect viable E. coli cells in spiked water samples within 4 h.
Asunto(s)
Azidas/química , Escherichia coli/aislamiento & purificación , Propidio/análogos & derivados , Reacción en Cadena en Tiempo Real de la Polimerasa/métodos , Rayos Ultravioleta , Reactivos de Enlaces Cruzados/química , ADN Bacteriano/genética , Calor , Indicadores y Reactivos , Viabilidad Microbiana , Propidio/química , Sensibilidad y Especificidad , Microbiología del AguaRESUMEN
The aim of this study was to evaluate the viability of Campylobacter spp. in frozen and chilled broiler carcasses using real-time PCR with propidium monoazide (PMA) pretreatment. Sixty broiler carcasses were collected: 30 frozen and 30 chilled. Each carcass was submitted to 2 real-time PCR protocols to detect and quantify Campylobacter spp.: one using pretreatment with PMA, which blocks the amplification of DNA from dead bacteria, and the other without PMA. The results showed that PMA-pretreated carcasses, either frozen or chilled, had a lower positivity rate compared to untreated samples (P < 0.001). Regarding storage temperatures, PMA-pretreated frozen carcasses that tested positive were in a lesser number than chilled carcasses (P < 0.05). However, the quantification of total and live bacteria in PMA-pretreated frozen carcasses that tested positive showed no significant difference compared to chilled carcasses. It was concluded that the real-time PCR with PMA pretreatment was a sensitive method for evaluating the viability of Campylobacter spp. in broiler carcasses. Chilled broiler carcasses would represent greater hazard to public health concerning Campylobacter transmission.
Asunto(s)
Azidas/química , Campylobacter/fisiología , Microbiología de Alimentos/métodos , Carne/microbiología , Viabilidad Microbiana , Propidio/análogos & derivados , Reacción en Cadena en Tiempo Real de la Polimerasa/veterinaria , Animales , Pollos , Congelación , Propidio/química , Reacción en Cadena en Tiempo Real de la Polimerasa/métodosRESUMEN
Propidium monoazide (PMA) coupled with qPCR has been successfully used for specific quantification of viable bacteria cells in diverse matrices food. The present study aimed to develop PMA-qPCR assay for quantification of Lactobacillus paracasei viable cells in probiotic yoghurt. L. paracasei grown in culture medium was submitted to heat treatment at 60°C for different periods of time and probiotic yoghurt containing L. paracasei were prepared and stored at 4°C for 30days. The viable cells were quantified using qPCR and PMA-qPCR assays targeting tuf gene and also by plate counting. Standard curves were prepared and mean efficiency obtained was 94% and 96% (R2>0.98) to L. paracasei in culture medium and probiotic yoghurt stored one day, respectively. The limit of detection (LOD) for both samples was 104 genome copies, corresponding to 32.1pg of DNA. For viable cells quantification, standard curves Cq versus log CFU were plotted using mean CFU by plate counting of L. paracasei grown in culture medium and probiotic yoghurt. Results obtained for L. paracasei heat-treated cells were concordant by PMA-qPCR and plate count, CFU decreased as the heat treatment time increased, while qPCR count remained constant. L. paracasei enumerations obtained by qPCR for probiotic yoghurt stored one day and 30days were higher than enumerations by PMA-qPCR for the same samples. The plate count values were similar to CFU values obtained by PMA-qPCR. These results showed that PMA-qPCR is a powerful approach compared with culture-dependent methods for quantification of L. paracasei viable cells in yoghurt. PMA-qPCR allowed reliable obtained results much faster than plate counting.
Asunto(s)
Azidas/química , Carga Bacteriana/métodos , Lacticaseibacillus paracasei/crecimiento & desarrollo , Propidio/análogos & derivados , Reacción en Cadena en Tiempo Real de la Polimerasa/métodos , Yogur/microbiología , ADN Bacteriano/análisis , Calor , Viabilidad Microbiana , Probióticos/análisis , Propidio/químicaRESUMEN
ABSTRACT The spoilage of beer by bacteria is of great concern to the brewer as this can lead to turbidity and abnormal flavors. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method for detection of beer-spoilage bacteria is highly specific and provides results much faster than traditional microbiology techniques. However, one of the drawbacks is the inability to differentiate between live and dead cells. In this paper, the combination of propidium monoazide (PMA) pretreatment and conventional PCR had been described. The established PMA-PCR identified beer spoilage Lactobacillus brevis based not on their identity, but on the presence of horA gene which we show to be highly correlated with the ability of beer spoilage LAB to grow in beer. The results suggested that the use of 30 µg/mL or less of PMA did not inhibit the PCR amplification of DNA derived from viable L. brevis cells. The minimum amount of PMA to completely inhibit the PCR amplification of DNA derived from dead L. brevis cells was 2.0 µg/mL. The detection limit of PMA-PCR assay described here was found to be 10 colony forming units (CFU)/reaction for the horA gene. Moreover, the horA-specific PMA-PCR assays were subjected to 18 reference isolates, representing 100% specificity with no false positive amplification observed. Overall the use of horA-specific PMA-PCR allows for a substantial reduction in the time required for detection of potential beer spoilage L. brevis and efficiently differentiates between viable and nonviable cells.
Asunto(s)
Coloración y Etiquetado/métodos , Cerveza/microbiología , Levilactobacillus brevis/aislamiento & purificación , Levilactobacillus brevis/crecimiento & desarrollo , Reacción en Cadena en Tiempo Real de la Polimerasa/métodos , Propidio/análogos & derivados , Propidio/química , Azidas/química , Levilactobacillus brevis/genética , Levilactobacillus brevis/química , Reacción en Cadena en Tiempo Real de la Polimerasa/instrumentación , Microbiología de AlimentosRESUMEN
The spoilage of beer by bacteria is of great concern to the brewer as this can lead to turbidity and abnormal flavors. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method for detection of beer-spoilage bacteria is highly specific and provides results much faster than traditional microbiology techniques. However, one of the drawbacks is the inability to differentiate between live and dead cells. In this paper, the combination of propidium monoazide (PMA) pretreatment and conventional PCR had been described. The established PMA-PCR identified beer spoilage Lactobacillus brevis based not on their identity, but on the presence of horA gene which we show to be highly correlated with the ability of beer spoilage LAB to grow in beer. The results suggested that the use of 30µg/mL or less of PMA did not inhibit the PCR amplification of DNA derived from viable L. brevis cells. The minimum amount of PMA to completely inhibit the PCR amplification of DNA derived from dead L. brevis cells was 2.0µg/mL. The detection limit of PMA-PCR assay described here was found to be 10 colony forming units (CFU)/reaction for the horA gene. Moreover, the horA-specific PMA-PCR assays were subjected to 18 reference isolates, representing 100% specificity with no false positive amplification observed. Overall the use of horA-specific PMA-PCR allows for a substantial reduction in the time required for detection of potential beer spoilage L. brevis and efficiently differentiates between viable and nonviable cells.
Asunto(s)
Cerveza/microbiología , Levilactobacillus brevis/crecimiento & desarrollo , Levilactobacillus brevis/aislamiento & purificación , Reacción en Cadena en Tiempo Real de la Polimerasa/métodos , Coloración y Etiquetado/métodos , Azidas/química , Microbiología de Alimentos , Levilactobacillus brevis/química , Levilactobacillus brevis/genética , Propidio/análogos & derivados , Propidio/química , Reacción en Cadena en Tiempo Real de la Polimerasa/instrumentaciónRESUMEN
Helicobacter pylori is a pathogen bacteria associated with chronic gastritis, peptic ulceration, and gastric carcinoma. H. pylori has a spiral morphology, which under certain conditions of stress becomes a coccoid form. This type of morphology has been linked to a viable but non-culturable (VBNC) state, which is thought to allow its persistence in the environment. Membrane damage in VBNC H. pylori in water as a mechanism for inactivation using ozone (O3) and chlorine disinfection has not been reported in the literature. In this paper, disinfection assays with ozone and chlorine were conducted to evaluate their effects on VBNC H. pylori cells. The use of fluorescent dyes such as propidium monoazide (PMA) coupled with quantitative real-time polymerase chain reactions produced results necessary to assess the viability of the microorganism and demonstrate the effect of each disinfectant on the bacterial count. Applying ozone showed a 5-log bacterial reduction using a disinfectant concentration and exposure time (CT) of 4â mgâ min/L. Chlorine disinfection for the same 5-log reduction required a higher CT value. Field emission scanning electron microscope images of ozone-treated VBNC H. pylori also showed severe cell damage. The use of PMA revealed that chlorine produced physical damage in the membrane in addition to the known inhibiting effect on cell enzymatic processes. These findings are important for the detection and control of VBNC H. pylori cells in drinking water systems.
Asunto(s)
Cloro/farmacología , Desinfectantes/farmacología , Desinfección , Helicobacter pylori/efectos de los fármacos , Ozono/farmacología , Azidas , Colorantes Fluorescentes , Viabilidad Microbiana , Microscopía Electrónica de Rastreo , Propidio/análogos & derivados , Reacción en Cadena en Tiempo Real de la Polimerasa , Eliminación de Residuos Líquidos , Aguas Residuales/microbiología , Purificación del AguaRESUMEN
The viability and resistance to simulated gastrointestinal (GI) conditions of Lactobacillus acidophilus La-5 and Bifidobacterium animalis Bb-12 in synbiotic ice creams, in which milk was replaced by soy extract and/or whey protein isolate (WPI) with inulin, were investigated. The ice creams were showed to be satisfactory vehicles for La-5 and Bb-12 (populations around 7.5logCFU/g), even after the whole storage period (84days/-18°C). In all formulations, the propidium monoazide qPCR (PMA-qPCR) analysis demonstrated that probiotics could resist the in vitro GI assay, with significant survival levels, achieving survival rates exceeding 50%. Additionally, scanning electron microscopy images evidenced cells with morphological differences, suggesting physiological changes in response to the induced stress during the in vitro assay. Although all formulations provided resistance to the probiotic strains under GI stress, the variation found in probiotic survival suggests that GI tolerance is indeed affected by the choice of the food matrix.
Asunto(s)
Bifidobacterium animalis/metabolismo , Ácido Gástrico/metabolismo , Glycine max/microbiología , Helados/microbiología , Lactobacillus acidophilus/metabolismo , Malus/microbiología , Simbióticos , Animales , Azidas , Frío , Aditivos Alimentarios , Microbioma Gastrointestinal , Inulina/metabolismo , Leche/microbiología , Probióticos/análisis , Propidio/análogos & derivados , Proteína de Suero de LecheRESUMEN
The Bacillus cereus group includes important spore-forming bacteria that present spoilage capability and may cause foodborne diseases. These microorganisms are traditionally evaluated in food using culturing methods, which can be laborious and time-consuming, and may also fail to detect bacteria in a viable but nonculturable state. The purpose of this study was to develop a quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) combined with a propidium monoazide (PMA) treatment to analyze the contamination of UHT milk by B. cereus group species viable cells. Thirty micrograms per milliliter of PMA was shown to be the most effective concentration for reducing the PCR amplification of extracellular DNA and DNA from dead cells. The quantification limit of the PMA-qPCR assay was 7.5 × 10(2) cfu/mL of milk. One hundred thirty-five UHT milk samples were analyzed to evaluate the association of PMA to qPCR to selectively detect viable cells. The PMA-qPCR was able to detect B. cereus group species in 44 samples (32.6%), whereas qPCR without PMA detected 78 positive samples (57.8%). Therefore, the PMA probably inhibited the amplification of DNA from cells that were killed during UHT processing, which avoided an overestimation of bacterial cells when using qPCR and, thus, did not overvalue potential health risks. A culture-based method was also used to detect and quantify B. cereus sensu stricto in the same samples and showed positive results in 15 (11.1%) samples. The culture method and PMA-qPCR allowed the detection of B. cereus sensu stricto in quantities compatible with the infective dose required to cause foodborne disease in 3 samples, indicating that, depending on the storage conditions, even after UHT treatment, infective doses may be reached in ready-to-consume products.
Asunto(s)
Azidas/química , Bacillus cereus/fisiología , Microbiología de Alimentos/métodos , Leche/microbiología , Propidio/análogos & derivados , Reacción en Cadena en Tiempo Real de la Polimerasa , Animales , Bacillus cereus/genética , Cartilla de ADN/genética , Límite de Detección , Propidio/química , Reproducibilidad de los ResultadosRESUMEN
The use of propidium monoazide (PMA) coupled with real-time PCR (RT-qPCR or qPCR for RNA or DNA viruses, respectively) was assessed to discriminate infectious enteric viruses in swine raw manure, swine effluent from anaerobic biodigester (AB) and biofertilized soils. Those samples were spiked either with infectious and heat-inactivated human adenovirus-2 (HAdV-2) or mengovirus (vMC0), and PMA-qPCR/RT-qPCR allowed discriminating inactivated viruses from the infective particles, with significant reductions (>99.9%). Then, the procedure was further assayed to evaluate the presence and stability of two non-cultivable viruses (porcine adenovirus and rotavirus A) in natural samples (swine raw manure, swine effluent from AB and biofertilized soils); it demonstrated viral inactivation during the storage period at 23 °C. As a result, the combination of PMA coupled to real-time PCR can be a promising alternative for prediction of viral infectivity in comparison to more labour-intensive and costly techniques such as animal or tissue-culture infectivity methods, and for those viruses that do not have currently available cell culture techniques.
Asunto(s)
Enterovirus/patogenicidad , Estiércol/virología , Reacción en Cadena en Tiempo Real de la Polimerasa/métodos , Animales , Azidas/química , Enterovirus/genética , Enterovirus/aislamiento & purificación , Fertilizantes/análisis , Propidio/análogos & derivados , Propidio/química , Reacción en Cadena en Tiempo Real de la Polimerasa/instrumentación , Suelo/química , Microbiología del Suelo , Porcinos , VirulenciaRESUMEN
Species-specific Quantitative Real Time PCR (qPCR) alone and combined with the use of propidium monoazide (PMA) were used along with the plate count method to evaluate the survival of the probiotic strains Lactobacillus acidophilus La-5 and Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis Bb-12, and the bacteriocinogenic and potentially probiotic strain Lactobacillus sakei subsp. sakei 2a in synbiotic (F1) and probiotic (F2) petit-suisse cheeses exposed throughout shelf-life to in vitro simulated gastrointestinal tract conditions. The three strains studied showed a reduction in their viability after the 6 h assay. Bb-12 displayed the highest survival capacity, above 72.6 and 74.6% of the initial populations, respectively, by plate count and PMA-qPCR, maintaining population levels in the range or above 6 log CFU/g. The prebiotic mix of inulin and FOS did not offer any additional protection for the strains against the simulated gastrointestinal environment. The microorganisms' populations were comparable among the three methods at the initial time of the assay, confirming the presence of mainly viable and culturable cells. However, with the intensification of the stress induced throughout the various stages of the in vitro test, the differences among the methods increased. The qPCR was not a reliable enumeration method for the quantification of intact bacterial populations, mixed with large numbers of injured and dead bacteria, as confirmed by the scanning electron microscopy results. Furthermore, bacteria plate counts were much lower (P<0.05) than with the PMA-qPCR method, suggesting the accumulation of stressed or dead microorganisms unable to form colonies. The use of PMA overcame the qPCR inability to differentiate between dead and alive cells. The combination of PMA and species-specific qPCR in this study allowed a quick and unequivocal way of enumeration of viable closely related species incorporated into probiotic and synbiotic petit-suisse cheeses and under stress conditions.
Asunto(s)
Queso/microbiología , Microbiología de Alimentos , Tracto Gastrointestinal/microbiología , Probióticos/aislamiento & purificación , Azidas , Carga Bacteriana , Viabilidad Microbiana , Propidio/análogos & derivados , Reacción en Cadena en Tiempo Real de la PolimerasaRESUMEN
Bacillus sporothermodurans produces highly heat-resistant spores that can survive ultra-high temperature (UHT) treatment in milk. Therefore, we developed a rapid, specific and sensitive semi-nested touchdown PCR assay combined with propidium monoazide (PMA) treatment for the detection of viable B. sporothermodurans vegetative cells. The semi-nested touchdown PCR alone proved to be specific for B. sporothermodurans, and the achieved detection limit was 4 CFU/mL from bacterial culture and artificially contaminated UHT milk. This method combined with PMA treatment was shown to amplify DNA specifically from viable cells and presented a detection limit of 10(2) CFU/mL in UHT milk. The developed PMA-PCR assay shows applicability for the specific detection of viable cells of B. sporothermodurans from UHT milk. This method is of special significance for applications in the food industry by reducing the time required for the analysis of milk and dairy products for the presence of this microorganism.
Asunto(s)
Bacillus/crecimiento & desarrollo , Bacillus/aislamiento & purificación , Reacción en Cadena de la Polimerasa/métodos , Coloración y Etiquetado/métodos , Animales , Azidas/química , Bacillus/química , Bacillus/genética , Bovinos , Leche/microbiología , Propidio/análogos & derivados , Propidio/química , Esporas Bacterianas/química , Esporas Bacterianas/genética , Esporas Bacterianas/crecimiento & desarrollo , Esporas Bacterianas/aislamiento & purificaciónRESUMEN
Propidium monoazide (PMA) is a DNA-intercalating agent used to selectively detect DNA from viable cells by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Here, we report that high concentrations (>5%) of sodium chloride (NaCl) prevents PMA from inhibiting DNA amplification from dead cells. Moreover, Halobacterium salinarum was unable to maintain cell integrity in solutions containing less than 15% NaCl, indicating that extreme halophilic microorganisms may not resist the concentration range in which PMA fully acts. We conclude that NaCl, but not pH, directly affects the efficiency of PMA treatment, limiting its use for cell viability assessment of halophiles and in hypersaline samples.
Asunto(s)
Azidas/farmacología , Halobacterium salinarum/citología , Halobacterium salinarum/efectos de los fármacos , Viabilidad Microbiana/efectos de los fármacos , Propidio/análogos & derivados , Cloruro de Sodio/farmacología , ADN Bacteriano/genética , Genoma Bacteriano/genética , Halobacterium salinarum/genética , Reacción en Cadena de la Polimerasa , Propidio/farmacologíaRESUMEN
Treatment of microbiological samples with viability dyes prior to extraction of DNA and PCR amplification for downstream analysis has evolved into a commonly applied method. The addition of this easy-to-perform step to the sample analysis procedure inhibits the amplification of DNA from dead cells with compromised cell membranes. The method is currently used both in combination with quantitative PCR (qPCR), end-point PCR, and isothermal amplification. We present here a detailed study of the effect of amplicon size on amplification signals from unstressed and heat-exposed cells after treatment with propidium monoazide (PMA). PMA treatment was shown to be more efficient in excluding dead cells from the analysis both in combination with qPCR (PMA-qPCR) and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PMA-DGGE), when longer amplicons were used. When applied to pure cultures of the fish pathogens Vibrio anguillarum and Flavobacterium psychrophilum exposed to a heat gradient ranging from mild to lethal, qPCR product lengths did not influence PMA-qPCR results at low temperatures, whereas an increasingly strong impact was seen at higher temperatures. Membrane permeability as a result of heat exposure might however have to be considered a conservative parameter for cell death for these pathogens as culturability and redox activity were lost at lower stress intensities than membrane integrity. When applying PMA-DGGE to an environmental water sample which was either left untreated or was exposed to heat, differences to non-PMA treated samples tended to slightly increase when amplified fragments in the first round of the nested PCR were longer, whereas the impact of 1st-round cycle numbers remains unclear.