Made available in DSpace on 2015-03-26T13:51:57Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 texto completo.pdf: 2496359 bytes, checksum: 3acf1d82313dda08bea8e0ab625fe65e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-08-08 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Salmonella enterica is a foodborne pathogen able to enter in viable but nonculturable state (VNC) in response to adverse environmental conditions. S. enterica is capable to produce (p)ppGpp, a nucleotide responsible for controlling gene expression at the level of transcription and translation in nutritional stress conditions. Due to gene expression determined by the accumulation of (p)ppGpp, S. enterica supports various environmental conditions. The aims of this work were to quantify by real time PCR the expression of the genes mreB, related to the cytoskeleton, and rpoS, which codifies stress response genes, in single and double mutants of Salmonella Enteritidis PT4 578 deficient in the synthesis of (p)ppGpp, due to the mutation on gene relA, which codifies a GTP pyrophosphokinase, and, or spoT, which codifies guanosine-3',5'-diphosphate 3'-pyrophosphohydrolase, submitted to nutritional stress and cold shock; to induce these strains to VNC state in Butterfield phosphate solution (BPS), in the absence or presence of sodium chloride at 4 ºC and to evaluate the morphology of these strains in logarithmic growth phase and in VNC state. The expression of gene mreB was reduced in both mutant strains (single and double) after 25 days in stress condition. However, the double mutant presented an increase in rpoS gene expression after 25 days in the same stress condition. Wild and mutant strains of Salmonella Enteritidis PT4 578 entered in VNC state after incubation in BPS in the absence or presence of sodium chloride at 4 °C, in different periods of time. Single and double mutant strains of Salmonella Enteritidis PT4 578 in logarithmic growth phase presented filamentous cells. On the other hand, VNC cells of single and double mutants showed a reduction in diameter, volume and length and also transition from bacillary to coccoid form. In conclusion, the expression of mreB and rpoS genes in single and double mutant strains of Salmonella Enteritidis PT4 578 was different when compared to the wild strain. There was also alteration in the morphology of cells in log phase when compared to the VNC cells of mutant strains of Salmonella Enteritidis PT4 578. However, the (p)ppGpp molecule is not essential for induction and permanence of this bacterium in VNC state. / Salmonella enterica é um patógeno de origem alimentar capaz de entrar no estado viável não cultivável em resposta a condições ambientais adversas. S. enterica é capaz de produzir (p)ppGpp, um nucleotídeo responsável pelo controle da expressão gênica no nível da transcrição e da tradução, em condições de estresse nutricional. Em razão da expressão gênica determinada pelo acúmulo de (p)ppGpp, S. enterica suporta condições ambientais variadas. Este trabalho teve como objetivos: quantificar por PCR em tempo real a expressão dos genes mreB, relacionado ao citoesqueleto e, rpoS, que codifica genes de resposta ao estresse, de estirpes mutantes simples e duplo da Salmonella Enteritidis PT4 578 deficientes na síntese de (p)ppGpp, em razão de mutação no gene relA, que codifica uma GTP pirofosfoquinase, e,ou spoT, que codifica guanosina-3',5'-difosfato 3'-pirofosfohidrolase submetidas aos estresses nutricional e choque frio; induzir essas estirpes ao estado VNC em solução fosfato de Butterfield (BPS) acrescida ou não de cloreto de sódio a 4 ºC e avaliar a morfologia dessas estirpes em fase logarítmica de crescimento e no estado VNC. A expressão do gene mreB foi reduzida para ambas as estirpes mutantes (simples e duplo) após 25 dias em condição de estresse. No entanto, o mutante duplo apresentou um aumento na expressão do gene rpoS após 25 dias nesta mesma condição de estresse. As estirpes de Salmonella Enteritidis PT4 578 selvagem e mutantes entraram no estado VNC após incubação em BPS acrescido ou não de cloreto de sódio a 4 °C em diferentes tempos. Estirpes de Salmonella Enteritidis PT4 578 mutantes simples e duplo em fase logarítmica de crescimento apresentaram células filamentosas. Em vez disso, células VNC de mutantes simples e duplo mostraram redução no diâmetro, volume e comprimento e também transição da forma bacilar para a forma cocoide. Concluiu-se que a expressão dos genes mreB e rpoS das estirpes de Salmonella Enteritidis PT4 578 mutantes simples e duplo difere da estirpe selvagem. Houve também mudança da morfologia entre as células da fase log e células VNC das estirpes mutantes de Salmonella Enteritidis PT4 578. No entanto, a molécula de (p)ppGpp não é importante para indução e permanência no estado VNC desta bactéria.

Orientador: Marcelo Brocchi / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-23T20:40:21Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Ota_MeirePriscilla_M.pdf: 2076382 bytes, checksum: 656fb21011c6e51639a88741d801237c (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013 / Resumo: S. enterica provoca desde enterocolítes até infecções sistêmicas sendo S. enterica I 4,5,12:i:- (flagelar monofásica) responsável por diversos surtos de salmonelose em diversas partes do mundo. Sua incidência tem aumentado consideravelmente nas últimas décadas e ela é caracterizada pela ausência da variação de fase flagelar, processo no qual dois tipos de flagelinas são expressos. Este trabalho teve como objetivo estudar a estabilidade do operon fljBA, responsável pela variação de fase flagelar, sob diferentes condições de cultivo. Para isso, o gene cat (resistência ao cloranfenicol) foi inserido próximo ao operon fljBA em linhagens de S. enterica Typhimurium uma vez que este sorovar deu origem a S. enterica I 4,5,12:i:- por deleção de fljBA. A estabilidade do operon foi verificada in vitro e in vivo e após tratamento da cultura com mitomicina C, antibiótico indutor de profagos. Este último tratamento foi utilizado em virtude da presença do fago Fels-2 próximo ao operon fljBA, uma vez que dados da literatura sugerem que a deleção do operon foi em decorrência da excisão/recombinação imprecisa de profagos. Os resultados obtidos sugerem que a deleção do operon parece ser um evento raro, dado que em nenhuma condição testada houve a reversão da resistência frente ao cloranfenicol. Essas observações abrem discussões sobre a essencialidade da variação de fase flagelar na patogenicidade de S. enterica. É possível que os clones que deram origem a S. enterica I 4,5,12:i:- apresentem características genotípicas e fenotípicas compensatórias a perda de variação de fase. Ainda neste trabalho a ausência dos genes fljA e fljB foram confirmadas em amostras clínicas de S. enterica I 4,5,12:i:- isoladas no Brasil, mas a análise de isolados provenientes de granjas sugerem a existência de um novo padrão de deleção do operon fljBA, dados estes que precisam ser melhor investigados. Além disso, foi desenvolvida uma reação de PCR-Duplex para detecção de S. enterica I 4,5,12:i:- (Clone Americano) e diferenciação deste de outros sorovares, particularmente Typhimurium. Este PCR se mostrou eficiente na identificação e diferenciação de S. enterica I 4,5,12:i:- (clone Americano) podendo ser utilizado como técnica complementar as técnicas tradicionais de sorotipagem, visto ser um método rápido, preciso e acurado. Os testes sorológicos são laboriosos e devido ao fato do flagelo de fase II nem sempre ser expresso, amostras do sorovar Typhimurium podem ser erroneamente identificadas como S. enterica I 4,5,12:i: / Abstract: S. enterica causes from enterocolitis to systemic infections with S. enterica serovar I 4,5,12:i:- (monophasic flagelar) responsible for multiple salmonellosis outbreaks worldwide. Its incidence increased considerable in recent years and it is characterized by absence of flagellar phase variation, a process in which normally two flagellins are expressed. This work aimed to study the instability of fljBA operon, responsible for flagellar phase variation under different conditions growth. For this goal, cat gene (resistant for chloramphenicol) was inserted next to fljBA operon in S. enterica Typhimurium strains once this serovar originated S. enterica I 4,5,12:i:- by fljBA deletion. Stability of operon was verified "in vitro", "in vivo" and culture treatment with Mitomycin C, prophages antibiotic inductor. This last treatment was used due the presence of Fels-2 prophage next to fljBA operon since previous works suggest that the deletion of operon is a result of imprecise excision/recombination of prophages. Results from this work suggest that the deletion of operon appear to be a rare event, since in none of condition tested were observed reversion of resistance mark to chloramphenicol. This observation leads to discussions about the essentiality of flagellar phase variation in pathogenicity of S. enterica. It is possible that clones whom originated S. enterica I 4,5,12:i:- presented compensatory genotypic and phenotypic features to the loss of phase variation. Absence of fljA and fljB genes was confirmed in clinic samples of S. enterica serovar I 4,5,12:i:- isolated in Brazil, but poultry samples suggest the presence of a new deletion pattern of fljBA operon, data that needs to be better investigated. Furthermore a Duplex-PCR were designed aiming S. enterica I 4,5,12:i:- (American Clone) and differentiation of it along others serovars, specially Typhimurium. This PCR showed efficient to identification and differentiation of S. enterica I 4,5,12:i:- (American Clone) technique that can be used as a complementary assay to traditional serotyping, since it is a fast, precise and accurate test. Serological tests are laborious and due phase flagellar II not always be expressed, samples of serovar Typhimurium can be misidentified as S. enterica I 4,5,12:i:- / Mestrado / Clinica Medica / Mestra em Clínica Médica

Les produits alimentaires secs sont courants dans l’industrie agroalimentaire. Cependant, leur innocuité n’est pas toujours assurée et de nombreux cas de toxi-infections alimentaires collectives à travers le monde sont annuellement recensés. Deux bactéries pathogènes sont particulièrement impliquées, l’une correspond à grand nombre de cas, Salmonella enterica, et l’autre est reconnue pour sa capacité à résister aux perturbations environnementales, Cronobacter spp.. Une compréhension plus poussée de l’impact du séchage et traitement thermique à l’état sec peut permettre une optimisation des procédés de de décontamination des produits alimentaires secs et contribuer à réduire le nombre de toxiinfections alimentaires. Dans un premier chapitre, une attention particulière a été portée au procédé de séchage de microorganismes pathogènes qui peut, s’il est conduit de manière rapide, réduire considérablement la cultivabilité microbienne. De cette façon, le séchage peut être considéré comme une étape supplémentaire de décontamination à condition d’en optimiser les conditions d’application. Puis dans un deuxième chapitre, l’impact de la réhydratation, rarement traitée jusqu’à présent, a été étudié afin de proposer des conditions permettant de maximiser l’inactivation bactérienne. Cette étude remet partiellement en cause les dénombrements de bactéries pathogènes dans les aliments qui peuvent être, dans quelque cas, sous estimées du fait de l’utilisation de réhydratation rapide. Dans un troisième chapitre, l’application de différents traitements thermiques sur du lait en poudre, destiné à une population dite sensible, a permis de comprendre le rôle couplé de l’activité de l’eau et de la température sur l’efficacité du traitement thermique à l’état sec mais également de proposer un modèle d’inactivation thermique des pathogènes. Il a été notamment possible de définir un paramètre représentatif de l’effet de l’activité de l’eau (yaw). Les mécanismes de mort cellulaire pour les deux bactéries ont été ensuite étudiés, que ce soit après un séchage ou après un traitement thermique. Il apparait clairement que le séchage induit majoritairement une perméabilisation de la membrane tandis que le traitement thermique des cellules viables séchées dégrade majoritairement l’activité enzymatique en détruisant peu la membrane. Finalement, il a été montré que la virulence des deux pathogènes étudiés est augmentée par le séchage mais que le traitement thermique à l’état sec n’a pas d’impact sur cette virulence. Les connaissances apportées par cette étude peuvent être utiles d’un point de vue industriel, afin d’optimiser au mieux les conditions d’application des différents procédées pour une inactivation bactérienne maximale. / Dried food products are common in food industry. Nevertheless, their safety is not well insured, involving numerous outbreaks every years around the world. Particularly, two pathogenic bacteria are of interest, one of them due to its number of cases, Salmonella enterica, and the other one due to its ability to survive environmental perturbations, Cronobacter spp.. A deeper comprehension of drying and heat treatment in dried state impact could lead to an optimization of drying and heating processes, insuring food safety. In the first instance, drying was considered as a supplementary decontamination step by optimizing its conditions of use. In a second phase, the rehydration impact was studied in order to found optimal conditions of pathogen inactivation. The study questions the rehydration currently puts in practice for food safety analysis. In a third phase, several heat treatments on a dried food product, intended to susceptible population, permitted to understand the specific role of water activity on the efficiency of heat treatment in dried state, and also propose a modelling for bacterial heat inactivation. In addition, it was possible to define two new parameters which represent the effect of temperature (zT) and the effect of water activity (yaw). Fourth, cellular death mechanisms for both studied bacteria, during the drying or during the heat treatment, were considered. It was clear that drying involved mainly membrane damages whereas heat treatment involved mainly enzymatic damages. Finally, in a fifth part, it was shown that virulence properties of both studied bacteria were affected by drying, increasing invasion capacity, but not by heat treatment in dried state. To finish, the knowledges brought by this study are useful for industrial point of view, in the case of drying and heat process optimization and also by proposing biological indicators to valid process efficiency in situ.

As bactérias patogênicas são os principais agentes que contaminam alimentos e podem prejudicar a saúde humana. Para tentar combater e controlar a contaminação de alimentos investigam-se novos compostos que apresentam atividade antimicrobiana. O ramnolipídeo (RL) é um biossurfatante (BS) produzido por Pseudomonas spp. que apresenta elevada biodegradabilidade e, baixa toxicidade além de potencial antimicrobiano. O objetivo desse trabalho foi estudar a atividade antimicrobiana do RL frente às bactérias patogênicas Gram positivas, Bacillus cereus (ATCC 33018), Listeria monocytogenes (ATCC 19112), Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 8095) e Gram negativas, Escherichia coli (EHEC) (ATCC 43895) e Salmonella enterica (ATCC 13076) além de contribuir na elucidação do mecanismo de ação destes compostos. Os testes de susceptibilidade ao RL foram realizados a partir da determinação da concentração inibitória mínima (CIM) e concentração bactericida mínima (CBM) utilizando a técnica de micro-diluição. O efeito do pH sobre a atividade antimicrobiana foi avaliado na faixa de pH 5 a 9. Para avaliação do mecanismo de ação foram realizados ensaios de permeabilidade celular, espectroscopia de infravermelho e hidrofobicidade celular. O RL apresentou atividade antimicrobiana para as bactérias B. cereus em CIM 19,5 &#956g/mL e CBM 39,1 &#956g/mL, e para L. monocytogenes CIM 156,2 &#956g/mL e CBM 312,5 &#956g/mL. Para B. cereus apresentou efeito bactericida a partir de 30 minutos na CBM, e para L. monocytogenes em 8 horas de incubação com o RL na CBM. As bactérias Gram negativas E. coli e S. enterica mostraram-se resistentes ao RL. O pH influenciou a ação antimicrobiana do RL sendo mais efetivo em pH mais ácidos. O tratamento com RL promoveu redução da hidrofobicidade da superfície celular das bactérias sensíveis. Os espectros infravermelhos evidenciaram alterações na composição química da membrana/parede celular principalmente para bactérias Gram positivas. A permeabilidade da membrana celular aumentou de acordo com o aumento da concentração de RL. A atividade antimicrobiana do RL foi evidenciada para as bactérias Gram positivas sendo mais sensíveis B. cereus e L. monocytogenes. Os resultados obtidos neste trabalho sugerem que o RL promove alterações na permeabilidade e composição química da membrana celular bacteriana sendo um agente potencial para controle de bactérias Gram positivas de importância alimentar. / Pathogenic bacteria are main agents that contaminate food and are harmful to human health. The search for new compounds to combat and control food pathogens is of increasing interest. Rhamnolipid (RL) is a biosurfactant (BS) typically produced by Pseudomonas spp., showing high biodegradability, low toxicity and antimicrobial activity. This study aimed to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of RL against the food pathogenic Gram positive bacteria Bacillus cereus (ATCC 33018), Listeria monocytogenes (ATCC 19112), Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 8095) and Gram negative, Escherichia coli (EHEC) (ATCC 43895) and Salmonella enterica (ATCC 13076) and also contribute to the elucidation of RL mechanism of action. Susceptibility tests were performed by determination of the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) using the broth microdilution method. The effect of pH on antimicrobial action was also investigated ranging from 5 to 9. Mechanism of action was studied using membrane permeability, infrared spectroscopy and cell hydrophobicity assays. The MIC value for B. cereus was 19.5 &#956g/mL and MBC was 39.1 &#956g/mL. L. monocytogenes was inhibited at concentration 156.2 &#956g/mL showing MBC of 312.5 &#956g/mL. B. cereus presented bactericidal effect after 30 minutes and for L. monocytogenes after 8 hours. The Gram-negative E. coli and S. enterica were resistant to RL. The pH influence antimicrobial activity of the RL showing decreasing MIC values at acidic conditions. Cell hydrophobicity was reduced by RL for the sensitive bacteria. Infrared spectroscopy showed that RL induced changes in chemical composition of cell membrane/ wall especially for the Gram positive bacteria. Cell permeability also increases as RL concentration increases. Antimicrobial activity of RL was evidenced for Gram positive bacteria and the most sensitive were B. cereus and L. monocytogenes. The results of this study suggest that rhamnolipid biosurfactant promotes changes in the permeability and membrane chemical composition showing potential to control foodborne Gram positive bacteria.

Freilebende, sich von Bakterien ernährende Nematoden fressen, beherbergen und verbreiten menschliche Pathogene. In dieser Arbeit wurden die Wechselwirkungen zwischen Nematoden und Pathogenen sowohl in aquatischen als auch in terrestrischen Umgebungen untersucht, wobei der Schwerpunkt auf Legionella pneumophila (Süßwasser) und Salmonella enterica (Boden) lag. Das Potenzial von Nematoden, menschliche Pathogene zu beherbergen und/oder zu verbreiten, wird hauptsächlich durch ihre Anziehung zu den bakteriellen Pathogenen bestimmt. Daher konzentrierte sich diese Arbeit auf das Fressverhalten von Nematoden. Pharyngeale Pumptests zeigten, dass L. pneumophila die Fressaktivität der Nematodenarten Plectus similis und Plectus sp. im Vergleich zum Standardlaborfutter Escherichia coli OP50 beeinträchtigte. Darüber hinaus wurden natürliche Biofilme mit mCherry-markierten L. pneumophila allein oder in Kombination mit GFP-markierten E. coli inokuliert und das Beweiden der Bakterien durch die Nematoden wurde mithilfe von Laser-Scanning-Mikroskopie als Fluoreszenzmuster im Nematodendarm untersucht. Bemerkenswerterweise ernährten sich die getesteten Nematodenarten bevorzugt von L. pneumophila, wenn sie die Wahl zwischen E. coli und dem Pathogen hatten. Darüber hinaus wurde die Räuber-Beute-Beziehung zwischen Nematoden und S. enterica in einer Bodenumgebung untersucht. Binäre Auswahltests zeigten, dass sich der weit verbreitete Bodennematode Acrobeloides buetschlii sowie die beiden Modellorganismen Caenorhabditis elegans und Pristionchus pacificus sowohl von S. enterica als auch von gewöhnlichen Bodenbakterien ernährten, was auf eine Anpassung an mehrere bakterielle Ressourcen hindeutet. Insgesamt zeigte diese Arbeit, dass verschiedene freilebende Nematodenarten L. pneumophila und S. enterica als Ressource nutzen, was ihr Potenzial unterstreicht, als Umweltreservoir und/oder Vektor für menschliche Pathogene sowohl in Wassersystemen als auch in landwirtschaftlichen Böden zu dienen. / It is becoming increasingly clear that free-living bacterial-feeding nematodes not only consume, but also harbor and disseminate human pathogens. In this thesis, the nematode-pathogen interactions were investigated in both, aquatic and terrestrial environments, with the emphasis on Legionella pneumophila (freshwater) and Salmonella enterica (soil). The potential of harboring and/or dissemination of human pathogens by nematodes is mostly shaped by their attraction to the bacterial pathogen. Therefore, this thesis focused on the feeding behavior of nematodes. Pharyngeal pumping assays revealed that L. pneumophila impaired the feeding activity of the nematode species Plectus similis and Plectus sp. compared to the standard lab food Escherichia coli OP50. Further, natural biofilms were inoculated with mCherry-labeled L. pneumophila solely or in combination with GFP-labeled E. coli and nematode grazing was assessed as fluorescence pattern in the gut, using laser scanning microscopy. Remarkably, the tested nematode species preferentially fed on L. pneumophila when given a choice between E. coli and the human pathogen. Additional feeding experiments with L. pneumophila and common bacterial taxa as resources revealed that food preference was not necessarily associated with an upregulation of pumping activity. Besides, the predator-prey relationship between nematodes and S. enterica was investigated in a soil environment. Binary choice assays revealed that the widespread soil nematode Acrobeloides buetschlii as well as the two model organisms Caenorhabditis elegans and Pristionchus pacificus fed on both, S. enterica and common soil bacteria, indicating an adaption to multiple bacterial diets. Overall, this thesis showed that different free-living nematode species use L. pneumophila and S. enterica as a resource, highlighting their potential to serve as environmental reservoir and/or vector for human pathogens in both, water systems and agricultural soil.

Published Article / The development of tolerance to low pH levels and the existence of cross-resistance may promote survival of bacteria in acidic foodstuff and in acidic environments such as the human stomach, in so doing escalating the probability of food poisoning. Similar to antimicrobial resistance developing, there is growing concern that effectiveness of organic acids may decrease as a result of the emergence of acid-tolerant food-borne pathogens. The objectives of this study were to determine the development of acid tolerance in selected food-borne pathogenic bacteria and to explore the activity of organic acids against acid tolerant pathogens. Bacterial strains were screened for acid-tolerance and susceptible strains were induced through exposure to increasing concentrations of an inorganic acid, as well as acidic foodstuffs. Susceptibility to six organic acids at various pH levels was assessed in order to evaluate the possible relationship between altered antimicrobial activity and acid tolerance. Salmonella enterica sv. Enteritidis ATCC 13076 and Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 were found to rapidly develop acid tolerance, while intrinsic acid tolerance was noted in Salmonella enterica sv. Typhimurium ATCC 14028. Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853 demonstrated intermediate intrinsic acid tolerance. As expected, pH played a significant role in inhibitory activity of the organic acids as these compounds exhibit optimum antimicrobial activity at a lower pH (pH ≤5). It is, however, necessary to further elucidate the two-way role of pH in foodstuff concomitant to the addition of an organic acid.

Thesis (Master, Microbiology & Immunology) -- Queen's University, 2013-09-29 21:18:18.966

This study characterized Salmonella enterica serovar Heidelberg from human, abattoir poultry and retail poultry isolates to examine the molecular relationships of cefoxitin resistance between these groups. A total of 147 S. Heidelberg (70 cefoxitin-resistant and 77 cefoxitin-susceptible) isolates were studied. All cefoxitin-resistant isolates were also resistant to amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, ampicillin, ceftiofur and ceftriaxone, and all contained the CMY-2 gene. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis typing illustrated that 93.9% isolates clustered together with ≥ 90% similarity. Core genome analysis using whole genome sequencing identified 12 clusters of isolates with zero to four single nucleotide variations. These clusters consisted of cefoxitin-resistant and susceptible human, abattoir poultry and retail poultry isolates. Analysis of CMY-2 plasmids from cefoxitin-resistant isolates revealed all belonged to incompatibility group I1. Analysis of plasmid sequences using WGS revealed high identity (95-99%) to a previously described plasmid (pCVM29188_101) found in Salmonella Kentucky. When compared to pCVM29188_101, all sequenced cefoxitin-resistant isolates were found to carry one of ten possible variant plasmids. The discovery of several clusters of isolates from different sources with zero to four SNVs suggests that transmission between human, abattoir poultry and retail poultry sources may be occurring. The classification of newly sequenced plasmids into one of ten sequence variant types suggests transmission of a common CMY-2 plasmid amongst S. Heidelberg with variable genetic backgrounds. / October 2016

Memoria para optar al Título Profesional de Médico Veterinario / Los serotipos de Salmonella tradicionalmente se han clasificado mediante métodos serológicos que determinan antígenos somáticos y flagelares específicos. Sin embargo, este método diagnóstico es caro y tarda mucho tiempo en dar un resultado ya que requiere implementar una batería de anticuerpos para detectar los más de 2.500 serotipos de Salmonella enterica que se han identificado. Por otra parte, la identificación molecular de los genes responsables de la expresión de antígenos flagelares son más rápidos y más sensibles que la identificación serológica. Es por esto que, en la presente memoria se implementaron pruebas de PCR para identificar S. enterica serotipos Typhimurium y Hadar, ambas incluidas en un plan nacional de control de Salmonella en establecimientos comerciales de aves. Se analizaron 135 cepas, 50 correspondientes a S. Typhimurium, 50 a S. Hadar y 35 enterobacterias como controles negativos. Estas cepas, previamente serotipificadas en el Instituto de Salud Pública (ISP), fueron sometidas a la prueba de PCR para determinar si existen diferencias de diagnóstico entre ambas técnicas. Del total de cepas analizadas, sólo 46 cepas de S. Typhimurium dieron positivas a la prueba de PCR y cuatro dieron negativas, mientras que las 50 cepas de S. Hadar dieron positivas a las dos pruebas de PCR. Las 35 enterobacterias dieron negativas a las 3 pruebas de PCR. De acuerdo a los resultados obtenidos en el estudio, la detección de antígenos mediante serotipificación y PCR para las cepas de S. Typhimurium fue menor al esperado (92%), a diferencia de lo que ocurrió con las cepas de S. Hadar en que hubo 100% de acuerdo entre ambas técnicas, sugiriendo que esta prueba de detección de Salmonella es posible reemplazarla por los métodos tradicionales de identificación y así poder acelerar el diagnóstico de esta bacteria de gran importancia para la salud pública

Una de las características de la célula bacteriana es la capacidad de adaptarse a los cambios ambientales del entorno en el que se desarrolla modificando el patrón de expresión génica. Uno de los ejemplos mejor caracterizados es la respuesta frente al cambio de osmolaridad del medio, pero la mayoría de trabajos se han centrado en el estudio de genes cuya expresión se induce a elevada osmolaridad. Mediante mutagénesis al azar con el transposón MudJ se diseñó una estrategia para identificar genes en Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium cuya expresión se viera reducida a elevada osmolaridad. Siguiendo esta estrategia se identificó el gen yfeR, que codifica para una proteína, YfeR, descrita en los bancos de datos como un hipotético regulador de la familia LysR de reguladores transcripcionales. Los miembros de esta familia son generalmente proteínas activadoras de la transcripción y se encuentran en muchos géneros procariotas, regulando genes u operones que codifican funciones extremadamente diversas. En base a la regulación por osmolaridad del gen yfeR, y a la posibilidad de pertenecer a la familia LysR, se planteó como objetivo de esta Tesis Doctoral estudiar el modelo de regulación de YfeR.El análisis de secuencia de la proteína YfeR reveló características distintivas de los reguladores transcripcionales LysR: un extremo N-terminal altamente conservado con un dominio "helix-turn-helix" de unión al ADN; una cadena aminoacídica de 308 residuos (proteínas LysR tienen 300 +/- 20 AAs); una relación Lys/Arg anómala; además de la homología tanto con reguladores de la familia descritos como tal como con hipotéticos reguladores LysR. Al proporcionar el producto del gen yfeR en trans su expresión se autorregula negativamente, capacidad que presentan la mayoría de reguladores LysR. En la región promotora del gen yfeR se localizó una secuencia de unión de las proteínas LysR, T-N11-A, con la T y la A formando parte de una región invertida. Mediante ensayos de retardo en gel se demostró la capacidad de unión de la proteína YfeR a esta región, y por lo tanto al ADN. Todos estos resultados definen a YfeR como un miembro de la familia LysR.Los resultados de la regulación de la expresión del gen yfeR muestran tanto de forma indirecta, mediante una fusión génica yfeR::lacZ (MudJ), como de forma directa mediante el ensayo de protección frente a la RNasa-ONE, que el genyfeRestá osmoregulado reprimiéndose a elevada osmolaridad. A 89 pb del inicio de traducción del gen yfeR se localizó una pauta abierta de lectura, denominada yfeH, que se transcribía de forma divergente, característica compartida entre muchos reguladores de la familia LysR y sus genes regulados. Así, se planteó como hipótesis de trabajo que éste era el gen regulado por YfeR. Sin embargo, el estudio de la regulación de la expresión del gen yfeH demuestra que ésta se induce en fase estacionaria, pero de forma independiente a la presencia o ausencia de su posible regulador YfeR y de su regulación por osmolaridad. En base a este resultado se planteó la posibilidad de que la proteína YfeR regulase la expresión de otros genes alternativos al adyacente. El análisis de extractos celulares de un mutante yfeR respecto a la cepa salvaje mediante geles 2D demostró la presencia de diferentes proteínas con expresión diferencial. Dos de ellas pudieron ser identificadas por MALDI-TOF: IbpA, implicada en la protección frente a un estrés por superóxidos, y Lrp, un regulador global implicado en la modulación de una gran variedad de funciones metabólicas, así como de genes que se inducen en fase estacionaria y en respuesta a cambios ambientales. Este resultado posiciona a YfeR como una proteína LysR implicada en una red de regulación global frente a estímulos ambientales. / Bacteria adapt to changes in their environment by modifying its pattern of gene expression. Adaptation to the medium osmolarity is one of the best characterized examples, however many of the well-known situations correspond to genes whose expression is induced when medium osmolarity increases. Previous work identified by random mutagenesis in Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium gene yfeR, a hypothetical LysR-like regulator repressed at high osmolarity. This work is focused on the study of the model of regulation of YfeR.The sequence analysis of YfeR protein showed most of the common features of LysR family: an N-terminal conserved domain, 308 amino acids long, an anomalous Lys/Arg ratio, and homology with members of the LysR family. As for the majority of LysR regulators, YfeR negatively autoregulated its own transcription. In the promoter region of yfeR was located a sequence having characteristics of a LysR-type target consensus motif. Gel retardation assays demonstrated that YfeR binds specifically to this region. All these results clearly related YfeR to the LysR family of transcriptional regulators. About the osmoregulation of yfeR gene expression we confirmed, by indirect and direct methods (transcriptional fusion yfer::lacZ and RNasa protection assays, respectively), that its expression is repressed at high osmolarity.An ORF, yfeH, was found oriented in the opposite direction to yfeR, a common property of genes regulated by members of the LysR family. However, expression of yfeH gene is induced in stationary phase independently of the presence of YfeR and osmolarity conditions. Then we decided to search for other possible regulated genes by YfeR but not in adjacent position. Protein extracts of an yfeRmutant and wild type strains were analyzed by 2D electrophoresis. Some differences were found and two of them were identified as IbpA and Lrp. These results suggest that YfeR could be implied in a global regulation network related to environmental stimuli.