Article
Food Science & Technology
Zhenbo Xu, Kan Wang, Ziqi Liu, Thanapop Soteyome, Yang Deng, Ling Chen, Gamini Seneviratne, Wei Hong, Junyan Liu, Janette M. Harro, Birthe Kjellerup
Summary: This study confirmed that spoilage bacteria can enter the VBNC state and identified a case of beer spoilage caused by VBNC Pediococcus damnosus cells using a novel procedure. The combination of genomic sequencing, flow cytometry, and routine culturing can provide direct evidence of VBNC cells in spoiled food samples and aid in further research on food safety issues caused by VBNC microbes.
LWT-FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Food Science & Technology
Hanxu Pan, Qing Ren
Summary: The viable but nonculturable (VBNC) state is a survival strategy for bacteria in unfavorable conditions. Resuscitation is the recovery of VBNC cells, which is necessary for proof of their existence. The resuscitation of VBNC cells has been widely studied for risk control and potential applications in the food industry.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Huiying Wang, Yuhong Zhang, Lixia Dai, Xiaoyu Bo, Xiangyun Liu, Xin Zhao, Jie Yu, Lai-Yu Kwok, Qiuhua Bao
Summary: This study investigated the metabolomic differences between VBNC and recovered L. paracasei Zhang cells, revealing the altered physiology of VBNC cells. The results showed that the liquid MRS medium was the most effective in reversing the VBNC state in L. paracasei Zhang.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jiahui Fan, Yangyang Jia, Dongdong Xu, Zhe Ye, Jiahang Zhou, Jionghao Huang, Yulong Fu, Chaofeng Shen
Summary: It was found that Rhodococcus biphenylivorans TG9 enters a viable but nonculturable (VBNC) state under anaerobic conditions, leading to a significant reduction in metabolic activity and degradation ability. However, resuscitation by providing oxygen can restore the degrading capacity of TG9 in the VBNC state, providing a new strategy to cope with survival under anaerobic conditions.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Sandra A. Wilks, Verena V. Koerfer, Jacqui A. Prieto, Mandy Fader, C. William Keevil
Summary: This study compares the development of biofilms on three different types of urinary catheters and finds that biofilms develop rapidly on all materials, with some bacteria remaining viable but not metabolically active. This highlights the need for improved testing before clinical trials are initiated to better assess the effectiveness of antimicrobial catheters.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Haiyang Yan, Meng Li, Lingling Meng, Feng Zhao
Summary: The viable but nonculturable (VBNC) state of Staphylococcus aureus can be induced in citric acid buffer at -20 degrees C, causing changes in some biological characteristics, but can be successfully resuscitated under various conditions. The food industry should pay attention to the potential hazard posed by VBNC S. aureus under frozen conditions.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FOOD MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Sariqa Wagley, Helen Morcrette, Andrea Kovacs-Simon, Zheng R. Yang, Ann Power, Richard K. Tennant, John Love, Neil Murray, Richard W. Titball, Clive S. Butler
Summary: Members of the Proteobacteria can enter a viable but non culturable (VBNC) state as a survival strategy under stressful conditions. Using Vibrio parahaemolyticus as a model organism, distinct subpopulations in the VBNC state with different resuscitation potentials and proteomic profiles were identified. Deletion of the lactate dehydrogenase gene triggered cells to enter VBNC state, while lactate addition extended resuscitation potential. The ability to survive in VBNC state may be linked to overcoming oxidative stress.
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Simarjot Kaur Sandhu, Jayant Raut, Suneel Kumar, Mandeep Singh, Bakr Ahmed, Joga Singh, Vikas Rana, Praveen Rishi, Narayanan Ganesh, Kamal Dua, Indu Pal Kaur
Summary: Curcumin loaded solid lipid nanoparticles (CSLNs) and probiotic (Lactobacillus plantarum UBLP-40; L. plantarum) were incorporated into a wound dressing, harnessing the anti-inflammatory, anti-infective, analgesic, and antioxidant properties of both components to improve wound healing.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICS
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Junyan Liu, Liang Yang, Birthe Veno Kjellerup, Zhenbo Xu
Summary: This article discusses the importance and controversies surrounding the viable but nonculturable (VBNC) state, and proposes the need to redefine and standardize the term and accurately determine VBNC cells.
TRENDS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Eleonora Di Salvo, Felice Panebianco, Antonio Panebianco, Graziella Ziino
Summary: This study found that viable but nonculturable forms of Vibrio parahaemolyticus may be present in frozen bivalve molluscs, suggesting that it could be a potential unrecognized source of food contamination and infection. Further data is needed to perform a robust risk assessment.
Review
Food Science & Technology
Rui Gao, Xinyu Liao, Xihong Zhao, Donghong Liu, Tian Ding
Summary: Viable but nonculturable (VBNC) microorganisms are recognized as pathogenic contaminants in foods and environments, with distinct characteristics that have been used as the basis for developing diagnostic tools. Various methods for examining microorganisms in the VBNC state are currently available, each with its own advantages and drawbacks, and there are also emerging techniques with potential for future applications.
COMPREHENSIVE REVIEWS IN FOOD SCIENCE AND FOOD SAFETY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Luiza P. Morawska, Oscar P. Kuipers
Summary: The article discusses the physiological adaptation of bacteria to the viable but non-culturable (VBNC) state and the similarities in transcriptional response between VBNC cells and antibiotic-sensitive cells. The study also reveals the strong upregulation of genes involved in proline uptake and catabolism, suggesting a potential role of proline as a nutrient in VBNC cells.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Jingbin Zhang, Xiaonan Lu
Summary: Many bacteria, including pathogens like Campylobacter, can enter the viable but nonculturable (VBNC) state to survive in adverse environments. This study explored how food processing conditions and food products could induce Campylobacter jejuni to enter the VBNC state. The results showed that chlorine treatment reduced the culturability but preserved the viability of C. jejuni cells. Under aerobic and low-temperature conditions, approximately 10% of the cells entered the VBNC state. The cells remained viable in ultrahigh-temperature and pasteurized milk, but the number of culturable cells decreased over time.
APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Victor Jayeola, J. M. Farber, S. Kathariou
Summary: This study found that unique stressors on dried fruit can induce the VBNC state in Salmonella, making it undetectable using culture-based methods. Therefore, additional microscopic and molecular methods should be considered for the accurate detection of all viable and/or culturable cells of Salmonella contaminating dried fruit, as all of these cells have the potential to cause human illness.
APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Esmeray Kuley, Metanet Muhammet Kuscu, Mustafa Durmus, Yilmaz Ucar
Summary: The antibacterial properties of microencapsulated Lactobacillus plantarum cell-free supernatant (CFS) in combination with aqueous or ethanolic propolis extract at 1% concentration against fish spoilage bacteria were investigated. The study revealed that the co-microencapsulation of CFS obtained from L. plantarum with propolis extract, especially its aqueous extract, could potentially be used as antimicrobial agents to inhibit microbial growth in foods. The effects on fish spoilage bacteria varied depending on the bacterial species, with the highest antimicrobial activity observed against P. damselae and the lowest effects on P. mirabilis.
LWT-FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Zhenbo Xu, Kan Wang, Ziqi Liu, Thanapop Soteyome, Yang Deng, Ling Chen, Gamini Seneviratne, Wei Hong, Junyan Liu, Janette M. Harro, Birthe Kjellerup
Summary: This study confirmed that spoilage bacteria can enter the VBNC state and identified a case of beer spoilage caused by VBNC Pediococcus damnosus cells using a novel procedure. The combination of genomic sequencing, flow cytometry, and routine culturing can provide direct evidence of VBNC cells in spoiled food samples and aid in further research on food safety issues caused by VBNC microbes.
LWT-FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Zhenbo Xu, Tengyi Huang, Du Min, Thanapop Soteyome, Haifeng Lan, Wei Hong, Fang Peng, Xin Fu, Gongyong Peng, Junyan Liu, Birthe V. Kjellerup
Summary: Microorganisms exist in nature mainly in the form of biofilm, which poses a potential threat to public health safety. Among them, Candida albicans is an opportunistic pathogen causing severe infections with high mortality. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the regulatory network controlling microbial biofilm development, with C. albicans as a representative, serving as a reference for therapeutic targets.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Chen Peng, Dong-Hua Feng, Yi Zhan, Qun Wang, Ding-Qiang Chen, Zhenbo Xu, Ling Yang
Summary: In this study, the molecular epidemiological characteristics of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) infections were investigated using whole-genome sequencing. The prevalence of hypervirulent carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) was also examined. Most CRE strains showed high resistance to multiple antibiotics, but were susceptible to tigecycline. The predominant sequence type (ST) of CRKP isolates was ST11 with the presence of Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC)-ST11. Different carbapenemase genes and sequence types were found in Escherichia coli and Enterobacter cloacae isolates.
MICROBIAL DRUG RESISTANCE
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Junyan Liu, Xin Lin, Thanapop Soteyome, Yanrui Ye, Dingqiang Chen, Ling Yang, Zhenbo Xu
Summary: This study developed a multiplex amplification platform for rapid detection of beta-lactam resistance genes in clinical E. coli isolates. It was found that MDR isolates were commonly resistant to penicillins and fluoroquinolones, with higher distribution among females. Various plasmid replicons and beta-lactamase genes showed relatively high carriage rates in clinical E. coli.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Junyan Liu, Tengyi Huang, Yuzhu Mao, Thanapop Soteyome, Gongliang Liu, Gamini Seneviratne, Birthe V. Kjellerup, Zhenbo Xu
Summary: This study aimed to develop a rapid detection assay for MRSA and toxins using PSR targeting housekeeping genes (mecA and femA) and virulence factors (sea, seb, sec, see and pvl), compared with PCR. The PSR assay was optimized and evaluated in rice and flour products, showing higher sensitivity than PCR. PSR assay is an efficient tool for rapid and accurate testing of MRSA, suitable for point-of-care detection.
LWT-FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Liting Wan, Lin Li, Xia Zhang, Bing Li, Janette M. Harro, Mark E. Shirtliff
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the impacts of dietary lipid composition and content on the cecal and fecal microbiota in mice. The results showed that increasing the dietary palm stearin (PS) level promoted the growth of Firmicutes and resulted in higher lipid and bile acid content in feces. However, increasing palm olein (PO) intake did not affect the microbial structure. Only at a high-fat level, PS (compared to PO) induced the observed microbial shifts. These findings highlight the importance of both lipid quality and quantity on gut microbiota.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Junyan Liu, Liang Yang, Birthe Veno Kjellerup, Zhenbo Xu
Summary: This article discusses the importance and controversies surrounding the viable but nonculturable (VBNC) state, and proposes the need to redefine and standardize the term and accurately determine VBNC cells.
TRENDS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Shuxian Wen, Ying Mai, Xu Chen, Kun Xiao, Yongping Lin, Zhenbo Xu, Ling Yang
Summary: This study investigates the molecular epidemiology and antibiotic resistance of Haemophilus influenzae in Guangzhou, China. A total of 80 H.influenzae isolates were collected from patients in a hospital from January 2020 to April 2021. The majority of H. influenzae strains were found to be non-typeable H. influenzae, and they showed relative susceptibility to certain antibiotics. The genotyping results revealed high genetic diversity among the isolates.
Editorial Material
Infectious Diseases
Junyan Liu, Zhenbo Xu, Yulong Tan, Ren-You Gan, Guanggang Qu, Dingqiang Chen
Article
Infectious Diseases
Junyan Liu, Tengyi Huang, Thanapop Soteyome, Jian Miao, Guangchao Yu, Dingqiang Chen, Congxiu Ye, Ling Yang, Zhenbo Xu
Summary: In this study, a large-scale investigation was conducted on nosocomial Staphylococcus aureus strains in Southern China from 2009 to 2015. The study focused on antibiotic resistance, virulence gene acquisition, and molecular types. The findings revealed an increase in MRSA resistance, significant differences in virulence genes, and molecular types. Importantly, this study fills a gap in previous research since 2006 or 2010.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Linjing Wang, Haijun Chen, Wanting Liu, Ling Yang, Zhenbo Xu, Dingqiang Chen
Summary: This study characterized the genome sequence of a drug-resistant Klebsiella michiganensis strain and identified novel plasmids carrying resistance genes. The findings provide insights into the genetic mechanisms of drug resistance in this emerging pathogen and highlight the importance of surveillance and control measures.
