Genomic comparative analysis of the environmental Enterococcus mundtii against enterococcal representative species

Background Enterococcus mundtii is a yellow-pigmented microorganism rarely found in human infections. The draft genome sequence of E. mundtii was recently announced. Its genome encodes at least 2,589 genes and 57 RNAs, and 4 putative genomic islands have been detected. The objective of this study was to compare the genetic content of E. mundtii with respect to other enterococcal species and, more specifically, to identify genes coding for putative virulence traits present in enterococcal opportunistic pathogens. Results An in-depth mining of the annotated genome was performed in order to uncover the unique properties of this microorganism, which allowed us to detect a gene encoding the antimicrobial peptide mundticin among other relevant features. Moreover, in this study a comparative genomic analysis against commensal and pathogenic enterococcal species, for which genomic sequences have been released, was conducted for the first time. Furthermore, our study reveals significant similarities in gene content between this environmental isolate and the selected enterococci strains (sharing an “enterococcal gene core” of 805 CDS), which contributes to understand the persistence of this genus in different niches and also improves our knowledge about the genetics of this diverse group of microorganisms that includes environmental, commensal and opportunistic pathogens. Conclusion Although E. mundtii CRL1656 is phylogenetically closer to E. faecium, frequently responsible of nosocomial infections, this strain does not encode the most relevant relevant virulence factors found in the enterococcal clinical isolates and bioinformatic predictions indicate that it possesses the lowest number of putative pathogenic genes among the most representative enterococcal species. Accordingly, infection assays using the Galleria mellonella model confirmed its low virulenceFil: Repizo, Guillermo Daniel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Espariz, Martin. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Blancato, Victor Sebastian. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Suárez, Cristian Alejandro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Esteban, Luis. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Cs.médicas. Escuela de Cs.médicas. Cátedra de Fisiología; ArgentinaFil: Magni, Christian. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario; Argentin

Expression of the Agmatine Deiminase Pathway in Enterococcus faecalis Is Activated by the AguR Regulator and Repressed by CcpA and PTSMan System

Although the agmatine deiminase system (AgDI) has been investigated in Enterococcus faecalis, little information is available with respect to its gene regulation. In this study we demonstrate that the presence of exogenous agmatine induces the expression of agu genes in this bacterium. In contrast to the homologous and extensively characterized AgDI system of S. mutants, the aguBDAC operon in E. faecalis is not induced in response to low pH. In spite of this, agmatine catabolism in this bacterium contributes by neutralizing the external medium while enhancing bacterial growth. Our results indicate that carbon catabolic repression (CCR) operates on the AgDI system via a mechanism that involves interaction of CcpA and PSer- HPr with a cre site found in an unusual position considering the aguB promoter (55 nt upstream the +1 position). In addition, we found that components of the mannose phosphotransferase (PTSMan) system also contributed to CCR in E. faecalis since a complete relief of the PTS-sugars repressive effect was observed only in a PTSMan and CcpA double defective strain. Our gene context analysis revealed that aguR is present in oral and gastrointestinal microorganisms. Thus, regulation of the aguBDAC operon in E. faecalis seems to have evolved to obtain energy and resist low pH conditions in order to persist and colonize gastrointestinal nichesFil: Suárez, Cristian Alejandro. Consejo Nacional de Invest.cientif.y Tecnicas. Centro Cientifico Tecnol.conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Biologia Molecular y Celular de Rosario;Fil: Espariz, Martin. Consejo Nacional de Invest.cientif.y Tecnicas. Centro Cientifico Tecnol.conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Biologia Molecular y Celular de Rosario;Fil: Blancato, Victor Sebastian. Consejo Nacional de Invest.cientif.y Tecnicas. Centro Cientifico Tecnol.conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Biologia Molecular y Celular de Rosario;Fil: Magni, Christian. Consejo Nacional de Invest.cientif.y Tecnicas. Centro Cientifico Tecnol.conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Biologia Molecular y Celular de Rosario

The assessment of leading traits in the taxonomy of the Bacillus cereus group

Bacillus cereus sensu lato strains (B. cereus group) are widely distributed in nature and have received interest for decades due to their importance in insect pest management, food production and their positive and negative repercussions in human health. Consideration of practical uses such as virulence, physiology, morphology, or ill-defined features have been applied to describe and classify species of the group. However, current comparative studies have exposed inconsistencies between evolutionary relatedness and biological significance among genomospecies of the B. cereus group. Here, the combined analyses of core-based phylogeny and all versus all Average Nucleotide Identity values based on 2116 strains were conducted to update the genomospecies circumscriptions within B. cereus group. These analyses suggested the existence of 57 genomospecies, 37 of which are novel, thus indicating that the taxonomic identities of more than 39% of the analyzed strains should be revised or updated. In addition, we found that whole-genome in silico analyses were suitable to differentiate genomospecies such as B. anthracis, B. cereus and B. thuringiensis. The prevalence of toxin and virulence factors coding genes in each of the genomospecies of the B. cereus group was also examined, using phylogeny-aware methods at wide-genome scale. Remarkably, Cry and emetic toxins, commonly assumed to be associated with B. thuringiensis and emetic B. paranthracis, respectively, did not show a positive correlation with those genomospecies. On the other hand, anthrax-like toxin and capsule-biosynthesis coding genes were positively correlated with B. anthracis genomospecies, despite not being present in all strains, and with presumably non-pathogenic genomospecies. Hence, despite these features have been so far considered relevant for industrial or medical classification of related species of the B. cereus group, they were inappropriate for their circumscription. In this study, genomospecies of the group were accurately affiliated and representative strains defined, generating a rational framework that will allow comparative analysis in epidemiological or ecological studies. Based on this classification the role of specific markers such as Type VII secretion system, cytolysin, bacillolysin, and siderophores such as petrobactin were pointed out for further analysis.Fil: Torres Manno, Mariano Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Repizo, Guillermo Daniel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Magni, Christian. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Dunlap, Christopher A.. United States Department of Agriculture; Estados UnidosFil: Espariz, Martin. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario; Argentin

Enterococcus faecalis MalR acts as a repressor of the maltose operons and additionally mediates their catabolite repression via direct interaction with seryl-phosphorylated-HPr

Enterococci are gram-positive pathogens and lead to cause hospital-acquired infections worldwide. Central carbon metabolism was shown as highly induced in Enterococcus faecalis during infection context. Metabolism of α-polysaccharides was previously described as an important factor for host colonisation and biofilm formation. A better characterisation of the adaptation of this bacterium to carbohydrate availabilities may lead to a better understanding of the link between carbohydrate metabolism and the infection process of E. faecalis. Here we show that MalR, a LacI/GalR transcriptional regulator, is the main factor in the regulation of the two divergent operons involved in maltose metabolism in this bacterium. The malR gene is transcribed from the malP promoter, but also from an internal promoter inside the gene located upstream of malR. In the absence of maltose, MalR acts as a repressor and in the presence of glucose, it exerts efficient CcpA-independent carbon catabolite repression. The central PTS protein P-Ser-HPr interacts directly with MalR and enhances its DNA binding capacity, which allows E. faecalis to adapt its metabolism to environmental conditions.Fil: Grand, Maxime. Universite de Caen Basse Normandie; FranciaFil: Blancato, Victor Sebastian. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Espariz, Martin. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Deutscher, Josef. Université Paris-Saclay; Francia. Universite de Paris; FranciaFil: Pikis, Andreas. Center For Drug Evaluation And Research; Estados UnidosFil: Hartke, Axel. Universite de Caen Basse Normandie; FranciaFil: Magni, Christian. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Sauvageot, Nicolas. Universite de Caen Basse Normandie; Franci

Antagonism of Bacillus safensis strain against phytopathogenic bacteria

Citrus canker caused by Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri (Xcc), is a bacterial disease which affects all the citrics. One alternative to manage it is the use of antagonist bacteria. The aim of this work was to investigate the antagonist activity of Bacillus safensis (S9) against Xcc. The activity was tested by diffusion assays. Xcc and S9 were grown overnight in Luria Bertani (LB) and potato dextrose (PD) medium, respectively, with continuous agitation at 28°C and then, were diluted to a concentration of 108 CFU/mL. Petri dishes were covered with 15 mL of LB-agar containing 100 μL of the Xcc dilution. Once the medium was solidified, 4 μL drops of S9 were inoculated 3 times in each Petri dish, and the experiment was made by triplicate. After 48 hours of incubation at 28°C, the inhibition zone was measured, and the average inhibition area was calculated as IA = average area of the inhibition zone - average area of the colony. A significant inhibition area of 5.18 cm2 was obtained (one-sample t- test, p<0.05). At the same time, diffusion assays with the supernatant were made to prove its inhibitory ability. Petri dishes were prepared as described above. The supernatant was obtained by centrifugation of the S9 culture grown in PD medium, and then by bacteria filtration. Three filter paper discs embedded with the supernatant were placed per Petri dish, by triplicate. The inhibition zone was measured after 48 hours and calculated the IA. A significant inhibition area of 2.29 cm2 was obtained (one-sample t-test, p<0.05). Besides, a study at genomic level comparing S9 with ten Bacillus strains was made. Different clusters of secondary metabolite synthesis pathways were detected, three common with B. velezensis strains (surfactin, basilicin and bacilibactin). These strains were tested as inhibitors of Xcc and they did not show inhibition (Bacillus sp and B. megaterium) or showed less inhibition (B. velezensis). The difference might be on the expression level of the clusters. These results suggest the potential use of S9 as a canker control agent and further studies will be necessary to identify the Xcc- inhibitor metabolite.Fil: Olivella, Laura. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Instituto de Ciencias Agropecuarias del Litoral. - Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto de Ciencias Agropecuarias del Litoral.; ArgentinaFil: Gaido, Jimena Daiana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Instituto de Ciencias Agropecuarias del Litoral. - Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto de Ciencias Agropecuarias del Litoral.; ArgentinaFil: Torres Manno, Mariano Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Centro de Estudios Fotosintéticos y Bioquímicos. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Centro de Estudios Fotosintéticos y Bioquímicos; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Departamento de Química Orgánica; ArgentinaFil: Petitti, Tomás Denis. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Espariz, Martin. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Daurelio, Lucas Damian. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario; ArgentinaLVII Annual Meeting of the Argentine Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Research; XVI Annual Meeting of the Argentinean Society for General MicrobiologyBuenos AiresArgentinaSociedad Argentina de Bioquímica y Biología MolecularSociedad Argentina de Microbiología Genera

Genetic and phenotypic features defining industrial relevant Lactococcus lactis, L. cremoris and L. lactis biovar. diacetylactis strains

Lactococcus lactis strains constitute one of the most important starter cultures for cheese production. In this study, a genome-wide analysis was performed including 68 available genomes of L. lactis group strains showing the existence of two species (L. lactis and L. cremoris) and two biovars (L. lactis biovar. diacetylactis and L. cremoris biovar. lactis). The proposed classification scheme revealed coherency among phenotypic (through in silico and in vivo bacterial function profiling), phylogenomic (through maximum likelihood trees) and genomic (using overall genome sequence-based parameters) approaches. Strain biodiversity for the industrial biovar. diacetylactis was also analyzed, finding they are formed by at least three variants with the CC1 clonal complex as the only one distributed worldwide. These findings and methodologies will help improve the selection of L. lactis group strains for industrial use as well as facilitate the interpretation of previous or future research studies on this diverse group of bacteria.Fil: Torres Manno, Mariano Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Zuljan, Federico Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Alarcon, Sergio Hugo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Química Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Química Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Esteban, Luis. Universidad Nacional de Rosario; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Blancato, Victor Sebastian. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Espariz, Martin. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Magni, Christian. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario; Argentin

Genetic and phenotypic features defining industrial relevant Lactococcus lactis, L. cremoris and L. lactis biovar. diacetylactis strains

Lactococcus lactis strains constitute one of the most important starter cultures for cheese production. In this study, a genome-wide analysis was performed including 68 available genomes of L. lactis group strains showing the existence of two species (L. lactis and L. cremoris) and two biovars (L. lactis biovar. diacetylactis and L. cremoris biovar. lactis). The proposed classification scheme revealed coherency among phenotypic (through in silico and in vivo bacterial function profiling), phylogenomic (through maximum likelihood trees) and genomic (using overall genome sequence-based parameters) approaches. Strain biodiversity for the industrial biovar. diacetylactis was also analyzed, finding they are formed by at least three variants with the CC1 clonal complex as the only one distributed worldwide. These findings and methodologies will help improve the selection of L. lactis group strains for industrial use as well as facilitate the interpretation of previous or future research studies on this diverse group of bacteria.Fil: Torres Manno, Mariano Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Zuljan, Federico Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Alarcon, Sergio Hugo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Química Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Química Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Esteban, Luis. Universidad Nacional de Rosario; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Blancato, Victor Sebastian. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Espariz, Martin. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Magni, Christian. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario; Argentin

GolS controls the response to gold by the hierarchical induction of Salmonella-specific genes that include a CBA efflux-coding operon

Salmonella employs a specific set of proteins that allows it to detect the presence of gold salts in the environment and to mount the appropriate resistance response. This includes a P-type ATPase, GolT, and a small cytoplasmic metal-binding protein, GolB. Their expression is controlled by a MerR-like sensor, GolS, which is highly selective for Au ions. Here, we identify a new GolS-controlled operon named gesABC which codes for a CBA efflux system, and establish its role in Au resistance. GesABC can also mediate drug resistance when induced by Au in a GolS-dependent manner, in a strain deleted in the main drug transporter acrAB. The GolS-controlled transcription of gesABC differs from the other GolS-regulated loci. It is activated by gold, but not induced by copper, even in a strain deleted of the main Cu transporter gene copA, which triggers a substantial GolS-dependent induction of golTS and golB. We demonstrate that the Au-dependent induction of gesABC transcription requires higher GolS levels than for the other members of the gol regulon. This correlates with a divergent GolS operator in the gesABC promoter. We propose that the hierarchical induction within the gol regulon allows Salmonella to cope with Au-contaminated environments.Fil: Pontel, Lucas Blas. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Pérez Audero, María Eugenia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Espariz, Martin. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Checa, Susana Karina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Soncini, Fernando Carlos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario; Argentin

Aroma compounds generation in citrate metabolism of Enterococcus faecium: Genetic characterization of type I citrate gene cluster

Enterococcus is one of the most controversial genera belonging to Lactic Acid Bacteria. Research involving this microorganism reflects its dual behavior as regards its safety. Although it has also been associated to nosocomial infections, natural occurrence of Enterococcus faecium in food contributes to the final quality of cheese. This bacterium is capable of fermenting citrate, which is metabolized to pyruvate and finally derives in the production of the aroma compounds diacetyl, acetoin and 2,3 butanediol. Citrate metabolism was studied in E. faecium but no data about genes related to these pathways have been described. A bioinformatic approach allowed us to differentiate cit- (no citrate metabolism genes) from cit+ strains in E. faecium. Furthermore, we could classify them according to genes encoding for the transcriptional regulator, the oxaloacetate decarboxylase and the citrate transporter. Thus we defined type I organization having CitI regulator (DeoR family), CitM cytoplasmic soluble oxaloacetate decarboxylase (Malic Enzyme family) and CitP citrate transporter (2-hydroxy-carboxylate transporter family) and type II organization with CitO regulator (GntR family), OAD membrane oxaloacetate decarboxylase complex (Na+-transport decarboxylase enzyme family) and CitH citrate transporter (CitMHS family).We isolated and identified 17 E. faecium strains from regional cheeses. PCR analyses allowed us to classify them as cit- or cit+. Within the latter classification we could differentiate type I but no type II organization. Remarkably, we came upon E. faecium GM75 strain which carries the insertion sequence IS256, involved in adaptative and evolution processes of bacteria related to Staphylococcus and Enterococcus genera. In this work we describe the differential behavior in citrate transport, metabolism and aroma generation of three strains and we present results that link citrate metabolism and genetic organizations in E. faecium for the first time.Fil: Martino, Gabriela Paula. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Quintana, Ingrid María. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Espariz, Martin. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Blancato, Victor Sebastian. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Magni, Christian. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario; Argentin